Winter Weather in Tangier: Community Resilience

BY MILES LAYTON

Though there is snow on the ground and the creek is frozen, Tangier’s folks are prepared for the winter weather.

Photos within this article are courtesy of Councilwoman Kelly Wheatley and Teresa Jo Tyler.

Worth noting, a cold snap and snow took hold of coastal Virginia and Maryland this week, so much so that President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony was held indoors. 

When the weather gets bad, Tangier’s folks are resourceful and resilient. Wheatley and Tyler said they’ve got groceries, and they are making out OK. The Town’s grocery store, Blue Crab store – aka Daley and Sons – a store where they know their customers’ names, was stocked before the storm so everyone could do their shopping. Though the mail boat hasn’t made a run in two days, the ice is expected to thaw by the weekend.

Tangier’s forecast for the week ahead calls for temperatures ranging between the mid-20s and perhaps into the low-40s, according to the National Weather Service. 

Though it is not a good time for the hard-working watermen to be on the Chesapeake Bay, the snow day offers families time to spend together.  

“The weather is beautiful, the sun is out and the wind has died down so it is a perfect snow day,” Tyler said.  

For the most part on Thursday and Friday, it will be sunny or partly sunny with no precipitation expected and with winds flowing between 10-16 mph.

As to the ice on the bay, Tyler said there is a Coast Guard station in nearby Crisfield, Maryland, so if things get too bad, an icebreaker will come out and make way for the boats to come and go. 

Because of the weather, Accomack County Public Schools were closed on Wednesday, Jan. 22, according to the school system. This will be a snow day, it will not be a virtual day of instruction. Exams for middle and high school will be Thursday and Friday. The teacher’s workday will be Monday, Jan. 27.  The new semester will start Tuesday, Jan. 28 as scheduled. 

Forecast for the week ahead:

Wednesday Night 

Mostly clear, with a low around 18. Northeast wind 5 to 8 mph.

Thursday

Partly sunny, with a high near 34. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming west in the afternoon.

Thursday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. West wind 8 to 14 mph.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 35. North wind 13 to 16 mph.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 25.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 37.

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 32.

Sunday

Partly sunny, with a high near 44.