Welp. Atlanta managed to put the “no” in “snow day.”
Area schools are closed, state government offices are shuttered and the Legislature has the day off - all for what turned out to be a light drizzle.
New England Patriots fans are getting a good-natured chuckle out of the whole thing.
“This would be nothing for us and it is actually laughable that schools are closed,” said Arthur Karageorges of New Hampshire. A 14-inch wall of actual snow didn’t keep friends from coming over to watch his team beat the Kansas City Chiefs for (another) shot at Super Bowl glory, he noted.
His wife, Linda, stressed what a wonderful time they’re having in the host city. She’s never been to Atlanta before and is charmed with everyone’s hospitality.
“The people of Atlanta are totally amazing,” she said. “Everyone has just been so nice.”
It didn’t keep her from cracking up at our outsized reaction to the weather.
“School’s canceled? Seriously?” she said, looking out the window at the lack of snow on Peachtree Street. “Everyone’s walking around in parkas. We’re going, are you kidding me?”
Channel 2 Action News meteorologists have reported a little wintry mixing in northern areas but don’t expect any accumulation.
Tempting though it is to giggle at Atlanta’s no-snow day, New England transplant Loann Lien isn’t laughing. She’s been here long enough to recall how, in 2014, two inches of wintry precipitation ended up paralyzing us.
Lien was smart enough to stay overnight in her office when 285 became a parking lot. Some people, and by that I mean myself, were dumb enough to try driving, a 13-hour lesson in why Atlanta is wise to overreact to winter weather threats.
Bret Almassy, also a northern transplant, wasn’t mad at all. He and his sons Owen, 13, Mason, 10 and Gavin, 8, took advantage of the day off school to head downtown.
He and “OMG,” as he calls his trio, had enjoyed the NFL Experience at the World Congress Center and hope to check out the NFL Live offerings in Centennial Olympic Park once the weather improves. It’s closed today due to the weather.
Like other fans, they aren’t going to the game but are happy to have the opportunity to take in pre-game festivities.
“We’re looking to experience everything but the $4,000 seat,” he said. He applauds Georgia and Atlanta authorities for taking a strong proactive approach to the threat of tricky weather.
“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” he said.
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