There have been several years when I felt a good deal of sympathy for the icy world of Reston. Last year in February Reston seemed to have moved itself to the Arctic.
This year has been different. There has been no Snowmageddon. In fact Reston has managed to miss almost all of the snowstorms that have rolled up the coast.
Now along North Carolina's Southern Outer Banks, we often get to enjoy some very nice winter temperatures. Our December high temperatures average in the mid to upper fifties. This has been what my mother would have called an old-fashioned coastal winter.
We have had three snow storms. While I would agree that Reston hasn't been basking in warmth, there has not been a lot of snow shoveling happening.
I know from experience that one of the bigger problems in most of Reston after a big storm is figuring out where to put the snow especially if you live in one of Reston's townhome complexes. While Reston's planners thought about almost everything, they did not consider where to put snow after a series of storms.
While I have been there to do some shoveling myself, I have avoided it for the last few years. I actually prefer my driveway shoveled by snow fairies which is what seems to happen here along the Southern Outer Banks.
We got a pretty good snow for our area, this past weekend. Emerald Isle got seven inches and over here on the mainland a few miles from the beach we racked up four inches. It was a pretty good snow job, but even with it sticking to the roads which is rare here, it disappeared by afternoon of the next day.
This morning we got up to a temperature of 54F which is a more normal winter temperature for us, but I know areas north and west of us, including Reston aren't having as nice a day.
It is just winter, and I have even reconciled myself to liking a storm or two down here on the coast.
Perhaps this will be a short-lived snow in Reston and not the beginning of the next Restonian ice age.
Actually I know that it does not take much snow to bring the Toll Road to a halt. I heard a rumor that it happened with this most recent storm. We all know the Washington area does not do well with snow, rain, or anything that might slow its world class traffic jams even further.
With that being the case, it might not be a bad idea to consider a much nicer spot if you have job that only requires an Internet connection. The Southern Outer Banks of North Carolina is a nice mix of new and old. You might not get all the shopping you find from living in Reston, but you might miss a few traffic jams in the process.
