Less Snow in Alabama Proves Global Warming a Reality

There is a saying here in Huntsville: We can put a man on the moon, but can't get half an inch of snow off the Parkway.

As I write this article, we here at the office are all anxiously watching the sky, waiting for that promised inch of snow. Before everyone north of Tennessee starts laughing, let me remind you that here in Alabama an inch of snow is a big deal. If the terrorists were waiting for the perfect time to attack Redstone Arsenal, this would be it. When it snows, the entire city shuts down. Schools, business, government...all buildings are as abandoned as a post-apocalyptic B-movie set. The kids love it though. They might have to scrape five or six cars to gather enough powder for a snowball fight, but by George, they will have one. Even if the snow melts a few hours later, the entire event is the top headline-maker for the week.

However, it just doesn't snow like it used to. I know I sound like an old-timer, but when I was a kid we would get a good foot of snow around February. My parents would tie black plastic garbage bags around our shoes (no one in Alabama owns snow boots) and we would sled and make snow angels until it was time to come in for supper. My mother remembers a time when it used to snow regularly, even up to three feet! I couldn't imagine that happening now. It snows less and less every year, and I wouldn't be surprised if next year it didn't snow at all. I don't have any hard statistical data in front of me, but if I was to print out a line graph representing the amount of accumulation we get each year, it would be dropping drastically.

I don't know whether the lack of snow, and the rising temperatures are caused by man-made greenhouse gasses, or the earth's natural warming, but I am certain that at least here in Huntsville, things are heating up. If this effect does turn out to be humanity's doing, then I think we have a lot to answer for. It saddens me to think that if I raise my children in this area, they might grow up never seeing what snow looks like, never knowing the fun of a day out of school spent sledding and creating snowmen. It's a real shame.