Floridians Try To Figure Out What To Do With Snow… and It’s Adorable

Snow in Florida? It happened. And for the northern parts of the state, it wasn't just a dusting. One Florida town saw over 9 inches of the white stuff in a rare winter storm this week.

For those of us who dream of living among the palm trees, this was a sight to see. Floridians think snow is adorable when the see it on postcards or sing about it in Christmas carols. They don't know what it's like to have frozen toes for 4 months or skid off the side of an unplowed road.

So what does one do in Florida when there's 9 inches of snow? It's not like they have sleds and snow shoes stashed away in the garage. (Maybe some of the transplants do who have hoarding issues.) Students at Florida State University in Tallahassee apparently improvised. I never imagined a grocery carriage would substitute for a sled. But here we are.

For those who don't have a grocery cart lying around... and why would you... there were other ways to sled. Photographers captured these improvisational winter wizards sledding using a table top and what appears to be a skateboard.

The snow won't last long for the Floridians. Morning temperatures are in the 30s and 40s this week. But highs are expected to get back into the 70s in Florida next week. But it's nice to see them suffer if only for a week.

Last weekend's massive snow storm that dumped up to 18 inches of the white stuff in a few Massachusetts towns was a good reminder that you should be prepared for the big one. That's why we have put together the 5 Essential Things You Should Have In Your Car To Survive A Nor'Easter.

We were lucky that the storm took place on Saturday and Sunday as opposed to a weekday event that would have potentially caught people commuting in their cars. If you are old enough to remember the Blizzard of 1978, then you know how huge it was and it caught a lot of people by surprise.

Sure back in '78 the meteorological world was not as advanced as today. There was only one local weatherman back then that had a good read on what was going to happen. His name? Harvey Leonard, the living legend. He was certain that it would be a snow event like no other and was spot on.

Vehicles were stuck and stranded on Routes 128, 93, 95 and dozens of other highways and byways. People were trapped in their cars, some for days and sadly there were those that lost their lives.

Of course weather forecasting has come a long way since then. There was no such thing as Doppler Radar Weather that all of our local television station use and there's been so much help from computer models. The chances of being caught by surprise are a lot less now.

If in the unlikely event that you do get caught in a major snow storm and are unable to move your car you have to be prepared for what could be a very scary situation. Experts have told us what we should always have in our car (or trunk) to be able to handle being stranded. They are all common sense items but, we have a tendency to either forget or take it too lightly.

We should have a mini first aid kit in our vehicles regardless of the season. It's smart and a very non expensive item to keep handy. You can grab one in most big stores or places like CVS and Walmart. You can also find good kits online. Leave it in your trunk and you will be ready if needed.

These tools are small and easy to keep around. I personally keep one in my glove compartment at all times. I can't say how many times I have used it over the years for things you wouldn't imagine. They are reasonably priced and you don't need a brand name or something too fancy. You want one with a knife, scissors, file and even a corkscew.

If you're stuck in your car in a blizzard you will not be able to continue running it because you want to preserve as much fuel as you can. A nice thick blanket will help do the trick. Get a qood quality blanket that you can wrap around yourself and keep that precious heat in. You can store in the backseat or the trunk.

Every vehicle needs a good flashlight, don't rely on your phone's you want a strong halogen type that can light up the night in case you're trapped after dark. Plus you will want to preserve your phone's battery for communication reasons.

Number one is the good old fashioned snow shovel. You can pick up a small handle snow shovel in most automotive stores that can be placed in the trunk and left there. A good shovel might be just what you need to dig yourself out of trouble.