Recently, there have been opposite struggles on opposite sides of the US. On one side, California went up in flames. On the other side, the South was hit with a snowpocalypse. It is not uncommon for California to experience wildfires due to the dry atmosphere; however, it is remarkable that states including Florida experienced snow storms this past month. With evacuations on both sides of the country, panic has emerged surrounding the topic of global warming.
The snow that hit Georgia in January was both a blessing and a curse. Children and teenagers were thrilled to have an extended break and spend days frolicking in the snow, but those who lost power or could not get to work were stressed. With nowhere to go, people grabbed their sleds, sprinted out the door, and enjoyed a day filled with sledding and snowball fights. Sophomore Liza Hagy was among the many NAHS students who spent their day outside. “I spent all of Friday in the snow to the point where I could not feel my hands anymore, but I was still so happy,” said Hagy.
Although it was surprising that Georgia was hit with snow, the fascination switched quickly to Florida. Because most people around the globe travel to Florida for a tropical vacation year-round, it was remarkable to hear that it was snowing. Many people, including senior Bella Van Nostran, were shocked after opening their phones on January 21 to see snow in Florida. “When I first saw a video of the snow in Florida, I genuinely thought it was edited because I could not believe that was possible,” said Van Nostran.
Unfortunately, the spectacular southern snow cannot overshadow the damage the fires in southern California have brought. As the evacuation zone grew, people were forced to decide whether to risk leaving behind their belongings or losing their lives. Alongside many other NAHS students, junior Alexander Chalk has family and friends who were forced to evacuate the fires. “My heart hurts for everyone who lost their home and loved ones due to the fires and I cannot imagine how scared those nearby felt”, said Chalk.
Between the frost in the South and the flames in the West, January has been a chaotic month. By now the fires and snow have cleared out and now it is time to rebuild what was damaged. Unfortunately, it will be a significant project to rebuild the damage in California and it will require loads of time and money.
