Jefferson County Residents Encounter Saturn

Staff Photo by Jeff Depew

Jefferson County residents encountered Saturn, the most recent Winter storm, as it clipped the area on the way to the East Coast.  Regionally, Jefferson and Sevier Counties appeared to be some of the hardest hit as the cold air and moisture collided, producing more than just a dusting of snow and providing local students with a surprise snow day. The late Winter storm arrived on the heels of a week of below average temperatures. The area skirted by a few days earlier and only received a light dusting of snow in most location. Saturn brushed Jefferson County, however some areas of the Country felt the full impact of the storm, leaving many in Virginia without power. Locally, Saturn had sustained winds at 29 mph and gusts that exceeded 40mph. Heavy rain also preceded the extreme dip in temperatures, leaving already saturated ground in standing water. Saturn is the 19^th named storm of the Winter season. In October of 2012, the Weather Channel announced that it would be naming significant Winter storms for ease of identification. Many of the storm names have roots in Greek or Roman Mythology. Saturn is named for the Roman god of time and the storm coincidently arrived the same week of daylight savings time. Should another storm gain enough steam to warrant a name before the change of season on March 20^th, the moniker will be Triton. In Greek mythology, Triton is the son of Poseidon and the messenger of the deep sea.