Marshall McClung
Our recent series of cold spells – after a period of weather more like summer – has folks wondering what name goes with each one.
Spring is an unpredictable time of year. You may have summer like weather one day and snow the next day.
I remember back when I worked for the North Carolina Department of Transportation – and also helped the N.C. Forest Service fight brush fires – that I would be on a fire that day and operate a snowplow that night. The “Blizzard of ‘93” had been preceded by warm, dry weather with brush fires.
Many of these “mini winters” are named after whatever bush or tree is in bloom at the time, such as “Dogwood,” “Blackberry,” “Locust,” “Redbud” and “Laurel.”
We have one cold spell named after Easter – called the “Easter Squall.” Squall is another name for “crying,” which some may feel like doing when that cold wind hits them. A “squall” – in this case – means a burst of cold weather, usually accompanied by a strong wind. Squall comes from the Norse word “skvala” meaning a sudden change of weather.
There are many instances of quick changes of weather here in Graham County and across western North Carolina.
Vasco Stewart told me that back in the early logging days, he was working for Bemis Lumber Company in the upper reaches of Big Santeetlah Creek in June when it began snowing so hard that they had to leave and go to the logging camp. He said the snow had the ground completely covered in a matter of minutes.
Jackson County recorded a knee-deep snow on May 27, 1895. Cattle taken to high mountain meadows froze to death.
Everything that had been planted in gardens was killed; even wild blackberries fell victim to the cold. Jackson County also had an all-day a snow on June 10, 1910.
There was a blizzard in the Great Smoky Mountains on April 10, 1900 that killed cattle on Siler’s Bald. The cattle had huddled together for warmth and were frozen to each other.
Watauga County had a hard freeze on June 5, 1858, that killed knee-high corn, all fruits and vegetables, and the wild mast of oak, beech and hickory trees. The town of Blowing Rock had frost on the night of July 26, 1876. Haywood County received snow on June 13, 1913.
Graham County has reported frost every month of the year except July, and snow every month except July and August.
If you are not satisfied with the current weather, be patient: it will change very soon – possibly for the worst.
Marshall McClung is the historical columnist for The Graham Star. He is retired from the U.S. Forest Service and can be reached via email, mcclungs828@gmail.com.