West Tenn. reacts to first snow, ice of year

LEXINGTON, Tenn. — As snow fell over West Tennessee into Friday morning, reactions from residents ranged from excitement to frustration.

“Well we kind of knew some flurries were coming, but we didn’t know we were going to be waking up to the solidness of the ice,” Lexington resident Lisa Maness said.

Some areas in the region recorded waking up to three inches of snow and icy roadways.

Residents say a lot of people prepared for the weather by picking up last minute items at the grocery store.

“A lot of people were out stocking up,” Maness said. “The apocalypse is coming, I guess.”

Tennessee Department of Transportation officials started salting the roads on Jan. 4. to prepare the roads for winter weather.

But while a lot of the main highways are clear, a lot of rural roads are still solid ice.

A number of wrecks were reported throughout the day, especially on back roads.

Lexington mayor David Jowers says the the county made a good decision by calling off school for the day.

“We probably don’t do as good of a job driving on ice as people in the northern climate do,” he said. “But we will get through this and it will be a better day tomorrow.”

He says the best thing people can do during winter weather is to stay home and warm.

“We enjoy the snow, and I think the school kids enjoy it too,” he said.  “And there is a little kid inside of all of us, I think.”

The Henderson and Gibson county Highways department both said their first priority was to clear the main roadways.

They now have plow trucks out clearing the secondary roads.