Same Old Snow

We haven’t really had snow this winter in Milwaukee and today it is supposed to snow 6 to 7 inches with another 7 tomorrow.

I’m always sort of annoyed by big snowstorms on the east coast. I know those storms affect more people, but it is always the end of the world if they get anything more than ten inches. Our snow total over the next two days will likely be 14 inches in some areas of Milwaukee, but I suspect you won’t here a word about it on the nightly news unless they decide to focus on Chicago, which may or may not be getting this storm. The worst though is the story that makes an annual appearance in television broadcasts and newspapers across the country. It is always about a huge snowstorm hitting the mid-Atlantic states. The snowfall total varies, but you’ll have a couple paragraphs about each of the following:

The snow paralyzed the city and made commutes horrible. Sue left for work this morning an hour earlier than normal.

People have been so willing to help out. A man towed Sue’s car out of a ditch this morning. Or Cathy, who already had the day off, devoted it to shoveling snow off neighbor’s sidewalks. Snowstorms always bring out the best in people.

The grocery stores were raided a day ahead of the snowstorm. Now, the trouble is keeping them stalked.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled. (This is probably the most painful part of the stories for me.) There will be interviews of stranded travelers complaining about how many hours they’ve been waiting, or been on hold. Blah, blah, blah.

I could save an article about this storm and place it next to an article next year about the next big snowstorm and the wording would be the same. The formula will be the same. But it is sort of a catch 22. There is a need to report on these big storms, but there is no need for overly sentimental tie-ins. Just give me a list of closures, the road conditions, and the weather report. Thanks.