Weather Pro

Being a native Minnesotan who has lived my entire life in the land of 10,000 lakes, I have spent 55 winters in the state. In my mind, this makes me entitled to comment as a winter weather pro. There are 3 components to a Minnesota winter: snow, cold, and ice. The variable is the amount of each that you have to put up with each and every year. A week or so of each is normal. The “January Thaw” is just that; a brief respite of mild weather in late January that melts some of the snow and lightens our attitudes.

The winter of 1975 had a lot of snow. I remember this because we drove to the western Minnesota town of Clara City in late November to attend my cousins’ wedding. We drove through roads with walls of snow taller than the cars to get there – sort of like this photo that was taken 3-2-14.

Some years it is all about the cold temps. Several winters were like this the first few years I was married in the late 80s and early 90s.There was a week to 10 days of the bitter cold and then the gift of a few milder days came upon us like manna from heaven.

Other years, like a few years ago, the winters are so mild that we end up with freezing rain instead of snow. Layers of ice cover everything; power lines, tree branches from the trunk to the twigs, even mail boxes are enclosed in a seamless, clear coating of ice. Safely inside, looking out, the world is a shiny, sparkling wonderland. Having stocked up on milk , bread and eggs, I can smile serenely knowing  that we won’t starve and that it will soon pass Like summer, the sun shines after the rain and the world sparkles like a crystal chandelier but in a day or two, the sparkle melts and it is back to winter as usual.

Last year, we put up  with 40+ days with temperatures below 0 degrees. We had just enough sun to make things icy. By below-0-day-35-or-more, I felt that I was either a character in a depressing Russian novel or I was about to write one. Then one week the sun’s angle was high enough and the days long enough so that the miracle of melting began in earnest. The ice on the driveway and parking lot at work was still there but there were actual bare patches in the sheets of 1-2 inch thick ice. That was still a lot of ice but hey, it was a start and cheered our frozen souls.

That winter season was long and rough physically as well as mentally. Maybe I am less tolerant the older I get but I was SO glad when winter was really over.

Now we are heading into another winter season. Predictions have been saying that this year will be worse than last year, Others say not so. I guess we'll just have to find out, I can't wait.