Rain, sleet and snow take South by surprise

ASSOCIATED PRESS
At this time of year, Gerald White is used to selling plant seeds and other garden items, but his customers had something else in mind after an unexpected storm dumped rain, sleet and snow on parts of the South.
The garden center was quiet, but there was plenty of demand for winter items, said White, the manager of a Wal-Mart in Hopkinsville, Ky.
"We don't have any coats left. Some people were looking for snow boots and weatherproof shoe covers. Probably could have sold some heaters if I'd had some," he said Tuesday.
One to 3 inches of snow fell west of Louisville, Ky., while several counties along the Ohio River were hit with sleet. Flooding and mudslides blocked roads, and closed schools across West Virginia.
In Tennessee, Memphis and Nashville reported a few flurries and some sleet, while more than 4 inches of snow fell in several counties in the western part of the state.
Heavy rain also fell in parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and New York.
"We got water, you want to buy some?" said Pat Heaster of emergency services in Doddridge County, W.Va.
Forecasters said the storm took them by surprise, mostly because of the freezing temperature at ground level.
"We underestimated it," said Nashville meteorologist Henry Steigerwaldt.
Corey Thompson, 16, waited 45 minutes in downtown Louisville, Ky., for a bus to take him home.
"I didn't come prepared," Thompson said, wearing jeans, a T-shirt and a lightweight black jacket. "I thought it was going to rain in the morning and be done in the afternoon."