Soldiers from the 40th Engineer Battalion in Baumholder, Germany, threw together this snowwoman Friday. Between 4 and 5 inches of snow dropped on the southwestern town. (John Vandiver / S&S)
Soldiers from the 40th Engineer Battalion in Baumholder, Germany, threw together this snowwoman Friday. Between 4 and 5 inches of snow dropped on the southwestern town. (John Vandiver / S&S)
Xochi, a Yorkshire Terrier, plays a game of fetch in the snow in Baumholder, Germany. (John Vandiver / S&S)
BAUMHOLDER, Germany — It seemed like Xochi, a 2-year-old Yorkie, was virtually the only one happy about waking up to a carpet of snow.
There were no kids out riding sleds or tossing snowballs around Friday morning. So Xochi romped alone at the U.S. Army Garrison at Baumholder’s deserted playground.
“She loves it out here,” said proud owner Amar Arias, a soldier with the 47th Forward Support Battalion. “Maybe people will come out a little later.”
Several military communities across Germany got hit Friday with up to 5 inches of snow in both Baumholder and Grafenwöhr. And it appears more snow and slush is on the way.
Forecasters at the 21st Operational Weather Squadron reported that residents in the Baumholder, Grafenwöhr and Stuttgart areas shouldn’t be surprised if Easter egg hunts take place in the snow.
“We had a funnel system go through Germany last night. It brought a lot of moisture with it,” said 1st Lt. Jennifer Bechel, a meteorologist with the 21st OWS.
The same pattern is expected to continue through Sunday, which means there is the potential for more snow, she said.
“Baumholder is at a higher elevation, so they tend to get more snow,” Bechel said. “It’s the same exact situation in Grafenwöhr. It’s going to be very isolated. But it’s hard to tell whether it’s rain or snow.”
Personnel at Grafenwöhr and Vilseck woke up to snow each day this week with the largest dump on Friday leaving several inches on roads, cars and buildings.
The 7th Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy commandant, Command Sgt. Maj. Erik Frey, said snow in the training area affected exercises for noncommissioned officers learning to be squad leaders.
“We have had to taper off our training due to the snow,” he said.
Schweinfurt mother Veronica Hobbs, at Grafenwöhr’s new post exchange with her daughters Savannah, 2, and Gracie, 1, said the snow was a change.
“There’s no snow in Schweinfurt,” she said, adding that her children would stay inside during the visit. “My kids will end up sick if they play in the snow.”
In Baumholder, work crews were out salting and plowing the roads early. No weather-related accidents were reported by the local military police station.
Arias and his father, Jacob, visiting from Las Vegas, said the snow was a pleasant surprise.
“A white Easter. Totally different than Vegas,” Jacob Arias said.
As for Xochi, this weekend will be a last chance for fetch in the snow with her owner. Xochi is scheduled to fly to Vegas in a couple of weeks with family while Jacob sets off for a 15-month deployment in Iraq.
