As Winter Storm Fern approaches, we remember the ice storm of 2000

PHOTO: The after effects of an ice storm like the one that crippled Arkansas in 2000. | Shutterstock Images

As Winter Storm Fern approaches, we can’t help but reflect on the ice storm of 2000.

Forty-eight hours before a major, widespread winter monstrosity is forecast to hammer the U.S. from New Mexico to parts of New England, meteorologists are still unable to predict precisely how much snow, sleet and ice will fall — or exactly where it’ll land. The latest updates as of Wednesday morning appear to put parts of South Arkansas — including the Arkadelphia area — in the path of more ice than snow. The latest forecast, subject to change, is calling for 1-3 inches of sleet and snow across the southern third of the state, and 1/4- to 1/2-inch of ice over far southern Arkansas.

Dubbed “Fern” by The Weather Channel, this storm is predicted to affect some 180 million people in the U.S. That’s one massive storm. Will it be one for the history books? We certainly hope not, but only time will tell. For our 30-and-younger audience (surely they’re out there, taking a pause from Tik Tok once in a while to read) and for those who shivered their way through that December one score and six years ago, let’s reflect on the nastiest winter event (to date) of our generation.

It started getting ugly on Christmas and would be the second round of back-to-back ice storms in the same month. Between 1/2 to 2 inches of freezing rain and sleet had fallen in the area in mid-December — enough that Arkansans were fed up with ice, but not quite enough to do any real damage (yet). The real fun would begin once we finished unwrapping our last gifts and told our loved ones sayonara until the next holiday.

The National Weather Service in Little Rock documents the event. From Dec. 25-28, mostly freezing rain and sleet fell over parts of the state. Portions of northern and western Clark County received 1 1/2 inches to 3 inches of ice, while the rest of the county and southern Arkansas got up to 1.5 inches of ice.

Ice collected on trees and power lines. The buildup stressed trees and limbs to the point they fell on homes, damaging roofs. The weight of the accumulated ice on trees snapped some in half, and others simply fell over.

Fallen trees downed power lines. Numerous power outages were noted, with more than half a million Arkansans without power for days — weeks in some cases.

Just like an old-timer remembers where they were when they learned of President Kennedy’s assassination or of the 9/11 attacks, they also remember the Ice Storm of 2000, their personal tales told like a rambling Captain Quint would recount the harrowing story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.

At first, the distant cracking sound is too foreign to recognize as a limb crashing to the ground. Once you’ve witnessed the first several limbs fall, your brain connects the sound to a real and present danger. You survey the trees in the vicinity and pray that neither you nor your property become victim to a crushing blow.

The sound of breaking limbs and falling trees eventually becomes background noise. When it does, we’re all in trouble. Power outages will be widespread. Roads will become impassable: not only impossibly slick from the ice, but also from downed trees nearly lining each and every city street, county road, state highway — like an icy obstacle course designed by a vindictive Boreas, Greek god of the cold North Wind. The more rural the road, the longer it will take to be cleared. Days, weeks in some cases.

Then there’s the unforgiving cold that only an Alaskan Malamute could appreciate. 

Most homes in the South are powered only by electricity (about 43% of households in the South use natural gas), and only a fraction of homeowners are equipped with a backup generator. In the event of widespread power outages, a minority of us will stay comfortable and well-fed in the days after a major ice storm.

Single-digit and sub-zero temperatures accompanied the 2000 storm, and meteorologists are forecasting four solid days of below-freezing temps (often in the low teens or near-zero) starting Friday.

Plumbing will fail. HVAC systems — if there’s even electricity to power them — will struggle to maintain comfortable living quarters, and some will peter out. Going outside? Forget it, unless you’ve invested in some decent base layers and warm outers. Even then, this is the type of cold that ushers even the burliest of men back indoors. It took 6 months for our father — a seasoned forester who loved the winter months — to warm up after the ice storm of 2000.

The National Weather Service notes that the 2000 ice storm would be the worst icing in 70 years, and the costliest natural disaster in the state’s recorded history. Will Fern follow suit? Again, only Mother Nature knows, at least for now.

We’ve still got two, maybe three days until we’ll know what havoc Fern will cause for our corner of the world. Is it time for panic? No, but it is time for preparation. Fuel your vehicle and/or generator, stock your pantry, wrap your pipes.

We’re hoping the weathermen are wrong and that we wasted our time penning this column. If they’re right, let’s hope that 2000 retains its crown as the worst ice storm in remembered history.