Tag Archives: Cold Weather

Winter Weather Shuts Down Deep South

Winter weather shocked the Deep South on Tuesday, leaving many communities without power and roads completely impassable for most cars.

The National Guard had to be called out to bring supplies to area schools where children were forced to spend the night in gymnasiums with teachers.  Military Humvees are being used to move school buses that were stranded on highways.

Nearly all public entities and most businesses were shut down in the Atlanta area early Wednesday because of the winter conditions.

The weather conditions across the south led to people abandoning their vehicles on highways from Mississippi to the Florida panhandle.

Thousands of churches opened their sanctuaries to motorists who were stranded by the weather.  Action Church of Canton, Georgia told the Associated Press that they had close to 20 people that were stranded near them come in for food, warmth and shelter.

Suburban Atlanta police even had to deliver a baby on the interstate when the mother was unable to make it to the hospital.  Mother and baby were both fine.

Cold Weather Drains Electronics

If you thought your cell phone, laptop or other electronics were draining faster than usual during the unusual bitter cold, you’re not wrong.

Electronic experts say the bitter cold drains batteries faster so people who depend on their cell phones in remote locations need to make sure they recharge often and have chargers in their car in the event of an emergency.

One computer expert said that Apple computers are especially vulnerable to the cold.

“Apple is rated from I believe 32 degrees to roughly 95 degrees,” David Greer of Digital Doc told CBS. “Samsung is rated from minus, negative 4 to up to 128.”

Greer also warned of the importance of not trying to rapidly heat your phone or computer if it’s cold. Greer said you risk major damage to the devices if you do not allow them to slowly reach room temperature.

He suggests making sure you keep your phone in a jacket or close to your body to keep it warm.