It’s easy to lose focus.
We are all busy people with a lot of responsibilities, family obligations and other stresses on our attention.
Lately, much of the collective focus has been on the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The numbers are hard to fathom as the United States now leads the world in total cases. Nearly 2 million people globally have been infected with COVID-19 as of Tuesday.
With so much to think about in terms of the virus, its impact, and all of the measures taken to hopefully slow its spread, there hadn’t been much talk about the weather lately.
Mother Nature made sure that our natural surroundings aren’t going unnoticed on Sunday night. Easter started off like a lamb, but left Macon County like a lion.
Heavy rains drenched the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau in the evening and gave way to a band of hard charging thunderstorms during the overnight hours.
High winds and lightning knocked down trees and branches, which cut power to multiple areas around Highlands. Downpours washed away driveways and dirt roads, and rising waters closed bridges and made travel treacherous. Fortunately, Highlands was spared the widespread devastation witnessed in places like Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Soso, Mississippi.
Neighboring communities were not so lucky.
In Seneca, South Carolina, one person was killed when a possible tornado touched down and destroyed a residence. Even closer to home, in Franklin, torrential rain led to landslides that did significant damage to one home and minor damage to several others. Businesses along the Little Tennessee River and Cartoogechaye Creek suffered significant flooding.
Thankfully no injuries were reported in Macon County as result of the severe weather.
First responders, NC Department of Transportation crews and countless private businesses worked long hours Sunday and Monday to restore power, clear debris and assist those community members affected by the storms. Their effort is to be commended.
COVID-19 is going to continue grabbing headlines for the foreseeable future, but it’s important to remain vigilant and be prepared for what Mother Nature may hold in the spring. As Sunday night made clear, the weather has devastating potential.