Countdown to Spring - What, Again?

Just when I'm starting to become less achy from shoveling Thursday's storm, here comes another one for Sunday.

Now, depending on which forecast you read, we're getting either 3-6 inches of snow or 5-10, both with a possible glaze of freezing rain and sleet in the mix. Personally, I like my forecast of 1-2 inches of snow with no ice. Mind you, my weather prediction isn't based on maps or studying weather patterns or even a gut instinct.

Just pure wishful thinking.

Only 37 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - They're Scarin' Me

I was starting my coffee at 5:30 this morning and heard what I thought was one of the local garbage trucks making its way up the street.  I looked out the window and saw that it was one of the town's snowplows coming up the hill, turning around and heading back down.  We didn't have any precipitation last night.  The roads were dry and the temperature had stayed above freezing.  So, why were they making the rounds?

Tomorrow, we're under a winter weather advisory for expected snow, sleet and freezing rain in the morning.  It's supposed to turn to all rain by late morning, although the last time that was supposed to happen, we got about 2" of pure sleet, no snow or rain involved. No fun to drive on and even less fun to shovel (it's like 6" of wet snow in my book).

It should all be gone by Wednesday, as it's supposed to be in the 50s that day. But, the fact that they're coming around the day before to look for trouble spots in the sort of wee hours of the morning makes me wonder and I shouldn't wonder. Guess I'll be keeping an eye on the forecast - eww.

Only 42 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring: The Downside to March Weather

The changeover to the warmer temperatures of March definitely has some positive effects, the biggest of which is seeing the snow slowly dwindle to pitiful spots of white that we won't miss when they're completely gone.  Okay, maybe they'll be missed by those who adore the winter sports and/or make at least part of their income from the season's existence.  But, I think most of us just want to see it gone.

Thing about March, though, is that it still clings to winter-like temperatures. They may not be near or below 0°F all that often during the month, but the temperature tends to hang out at points on the thermometer which make predicting snow or rain levels a little tricky.  There are more 20's, 30's and 40s, and a lot more mixed precipitation happening, too.  Ah, yes, that less than wonderful combination of snow, sleet and freezing rain which can be more dangerous than snow alone.  Bad roads, downed electrical and phone lines, etc. are some of the potential issues we don't look forward to this time of year.

That's what we're expecting in my location over the next 24 hours, followed by a warm-up into the mid to upper 40s, followed by a dip back into single digits again. It's like  the temperature's on a yo-yo and the string of that yo-yo has gotten longer, with the high and low points further apart than in earlier months, and it's what makes winter weather a bit more unpredictable now.

Yo, Mother Nature - quit playing with the yo-yo!

Only 17 days until spring.

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