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May 29, 2026

Magnolia, Mississippi

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The Ice-Capades of 2026: Rapid Ramblings About Winter Storm Fern

The Ice-Capades of 2026: Rapid Ramblings About Winter Storm Fern

How is it possible that three months have now passed since every person in north Mississippi was afflicted with the new ailment I have labeled as the PITS...Post Icestorm Traumatic Stress Disorder? Yes, it was and is...

How is it possible that three months have now passed since every person in north Mississippi was afflicted with the new ailment I have labeled as the PITS...Post Icestorm Traumatic Stress Disorder? Yes, it was and is the PITS.

It was a winter weather event that we warned of days in advance by our trusty weathermen. Most of us who endured the February ice storm of 1994 thought that "it couldn't be any worse than that one and we made through it alright." Well, I will say, that the lessons we learned back then helped us to prepare to cope with FERN.

We stocked up on gallons of drinking water and filled up the bathtubs to use for flushing the toilet. Candles, lanterns, lamps, flashlights and batteries were hoarded. Gasoline and Propane became harder to come by than the bleach and toilet paper shortage of the COVID 19 year.

Some symptoms of the PITS Disorder include: a heart-sink response to a light blinking stimulus...the "oh, no, not again" feeling of dread.... a compulsion to keep the cell phone