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Northern Colorado man helps out as Gulf Coast gets hit with cold, snow

Northern Colorado resident lends a hand as Gulf Coast experiences historic snowfall
Northern Colorado resident lends a hand as Gulf Coast experiences historic snowfall 02:31

While Colorado experienced a stretch of below-freezing weather during the recent arctic blast, the surge of cold air also impacted much of the rest of the U.S. For places along the Gulf Coast, that came in the form of cold temperatures and historic snowfall.

Jim Emmett, a Northern Colorado resident, has had a family house in Magnolia Springs, Alabama, since the 1940s. He says he's never seen anything like this in his lifetime.

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An all-time record-breaking snowfall with more than 8 inches was reported in states along the Gulf Coast.  CBS

"It's been part of my life my entire life and I've never seen anything but a skiff of snow," says Emmett.

This recent blast was much more than a skiff of snow. It was an all-time record-breaking snowfall with more than eight inches reported. The previous record for the area was set 130 years ago when six inches of snow fell.

While Jim commutes to their farm and orchards in Magnolia Springs, his son Noah now lives there full-time.

"We weren't too sure what was going to happen. At one point it was saying we were going to get .3 inches of snow and then at another point, it was saying we were going to get four inches and we thought surely not. That's never happened," Noah said.

Once he started to see the snow accumulate, he knew he needed to get their orchards protected, and their equipment ready so he could help clear snow.

"I went and got all the machines ready and all the batteries charged up because I figured we'd probably need them," said Noah.

Because they have the farm and the orchards, the Emmetts have the equipment the area needs.

"They have normal maintenance equipment, and graters that they can use the county will but no there is not a fleet of snowplows within 100 miles," Jim said.

While they are from Colorado and are used to the cold and the snow, Jim and Noah say the area is not equipped for this winter weather.

Extreme Cold Warnings remained in place in the area through Thursday morning. 

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