Many of Nashville’s streets were nearly deserted Monday as snow, sleet and freezing rain pitter-pattered from an overcast sky. But those who did venture out could hear a crunch beneath their step as their shoes punctured the sheets of ice that have blanketed much of the mid-state.
In the Germantown neighborhood, “closed” signs hung from shop windows and frosty cars sat parked in place, where they’ll likely stay until the ice turns to sludge and eventually melts away. Hardly anyone emerged from their homes, besides a few people walking dogs.
Samantha Max WPLN NewsCory Johnson and his fiancée, Hailey Yonker, were in a rush to get home as Johnson, a Florida native, and their dog, Marley, shivered in the cold.
Cory Johnson and his fiancée, Hailey Yonker, ventured out for a quick walk with their pup, Marley, who shivered in his puffy blue jacket.
Yonker lived in Chicago for a few years and was excited to see some snow farther south. But Johnson, who calls himself a “Florida boy,” planned to spend the rest of his day getting warm at home.
“It’s his birthday! He got his birthday off,” Yonker reminded her fiancé, who admitted he was struggling to think straight in the cold.
“And it’s my birthday. So, I can’t really do too much, because everything’s shut down,” Johnson said. “But, I mean, I don’t mind the day off.”
Across town in East Nashville, Ron Brothers decided to brave the cold to grab a few essentials from a nearby store. But he says he took one look at the icy and hilly roads and went by foot — doing what he calls a “half-stepping” shuffle.
“Choice item definitely was milk. And I got some tea,” Brothers said. “We were lucky, we stocked up — but forgot the milk, so I got the dang task of going out to get some this morning.”
Several others in his neighborhood took advantage of the rare snow day to break out their sleds. Ryan Driscoll got the day off from work, so he found a steep street to go sledding with his 3-year-old son, Hunter.
“We’re just taking advantage of the no traffic, enjoying the frozen streets,” Driscoll said. “Hunter is this fun?”
“Uh huh!” he answered, in a rush to get back up the hill. “Yeah, I’m enjoying this.”
15-year-old Hattie Gore’s reviews of the conditions were more mixed.
“I have been struggling a little bit to get going,” she said. “But it’s better than being at home.”
The snow wasn’t exactly ideal for sledding or snowmen — not the light, fluffy powder that’s easy to mold (or, for that matter, shovel). The icy pellets seemed to crackle as they bounced against windows, driveways and weighted-down tree branches.
With temperatures hovering around freezing for most of the week, it will take some time for the slick conditions to thaw. If you need to leave your home, it might be best to try the “half-stepping” shuffle.
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