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American Morning

For Southerners, Even a Dusting of Snow Can Mean Some Big Problems

Aired January 03, 2002 - 07:55   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Good for you, even though you're down here from Canada, take this stuff seriously and for good reason. We're going to show you why now because for winter hardy northerners like Rosey, you know, it may be hard to imagine just how a few inches of snow can paralyze an entire region of the country. But you know for southerners even a dusting of snow can mean some big traffic problems.

CNN's Gary Tuchman checks in now with some thoughts in his reporter's notebook.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There aren't as many sleds in the south. So you often have to improvise. Snow is a scream for the children who aren't used to it, as it is for many of the adults.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love it. I haven't seen snow since I was about 15.

TUCHMAN: Snow and ice canceled and delayed hundreds of flights at Atlanta's airport, the world's busiest. It cost hazardous driving condition, but it made Madison, Georgia's townsquare look like a winter wonderland. And Diane Alman (ph), who just moved here from Florida, likes that a lot.

DIANE ALMAN: I'm having a great time today. I'm going to go home and build a snowman - my very first.

TUCHMAN: And true to her word, she went home and started to do just that. Certain businesses did well. The Ace Hardware store had only one sled left. At the Greshamville Mall (ph) where deer hunters are told, you kill them, we chill them - the snow was putting a chill in the business.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a little more than we've had in a long time.

TUCHMAN: Some businesses here in Covington, Georgia didn't even bother to open.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I moved here probably 23 years ago and I can remember my first snow mobile was a pickup truck and a couple of guys (UNINTELLIGIBLE) stand off the back of it and I was just astonished to see how it was handled, you know.

TUCHMAN: Are they doing it better now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, probably about the same way. Things haven't changed.

TUCHMAN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) get a snow like this and it's regarded as unmemorable, just a nuisance. But here in the deep south it's an event - one that kids and kids at heart will long remember.

Gary Tuchman, CNN, Madison, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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