In order to escape the severe storm, millions of Americans huddled down inside their homes on a chilly Saturday as a major blizzard blasted across most of the United States. Nevertheless, one woman in Morgantown, West Virginia, became an unexpected viral phenomenon amidst the mayhem of cold temperatures and blizzard conditions. Wearing only a white T-shirt, this courageous (or possibly reckless) woman made the streets her playground while the rest of the city stayed inside or was wrapped up in bulky coats and scarves.
The unidentified woman was seen on camera running through Morgantown’s snow-covered streets with her naked arms out in the cold and snowflakes. The video, which was shot by Chandlar Fowler, a Twitter user from West Virginia, went viral on social media, leaving viewers both confused and entertained. Her outfit seemed either ridiculous or, at most, a daring act of defiance against the weather in an area where the wind chill was far below freezing.
The video’s creator, Chandlar Fowler, joked that the woman’s sparse attire may have been the consequence of a challenge or wager. Fowler tweeted, “Maybe it’s a dare,” in addition to the video. Given the harsh circumstances and the possibility that the woman would have been prepared to brave the blizzard in exchange for a payout from a wager or an adrenaline high, this scenario seems tenable.
Thousands of people liked, retweeted, and commented on the video as it swiftly went viral. Many of them were shocked by the woman’s seeming indifference to the below-freezing weather. Someone commented, “That’s not just a run; that’s a full-on sprint for survival!” LOL. Others praised her fortitude or made jokes about how she must have had a compelling reason for being outside in such weather, like a fast-food delivery or a pressing need to get something from a local store.
The video generated conversations about the risks of such careless behavior in severe weather, even as many viewers conjectured about the woman’s intentions. Without appropriate protection, experts caution that exposure to such frigid conditions can cause frostbite, hypothermia, and other cold-related illnesses. In this instance, it’s still unknown if the woman was hurt, but the fact that she seemed to be rushing quickly suggests that she might have been eager to get back to the comforts of her home—or to finish her dare.
The picture of the lone woman wearing a white T-shirt and enduring the snowstorm soon came to represent the odd and unexpected moments that might arise from severe weather conditions. Unaware that she had drawn the attention of the entire internet, her defiance of the severe conditions stood in stark contrast to the millions of others who remained inside.
The video of the woman racing through Morgantown in her T-shirt will probably go down as one of the most strange and unforgettable scenes from that weekend’s blizzard, regardless of whether it was inspired by a dare, a wager, or a spirit of adventure. It is proof of the unpredictability of both the weather and human nature.