M is for Musings on Winter

They predicted a little snow here the other night. Sure enough - by morning the tops of the mountains surrounding our house, and cars and lawns downtown were all snow covered. It only lasted a little while, but it was a sure reminder that winter likes to make inroads early up here in the North Country. So, we've taken care of most of the pre-winter chores to get ready for the snowy season ahead. Leaves that blazed on trees a few days ago have been raked, boats taken out of the lake and bedded down under protective coverings, hoses stored away, and firewood piled high.

The snowfall got me thinking about other years and other starts to winter. Once, many years ago, this area had a very early snowfall - caught all of the trees in full leaf and did a lot of damage. Other years it didn't snow till well past Christmas - making us anxious to get out our skis, and needing to be content with wishful thinking. It's hard to predict, but the coming of the snow is always looked upon as that sign that winter is on the way, whether we like it or not.

Snow is an interesting weather phenomenon, and one we take seriously here in the Adirondacks. According to the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks, winter precipitation in our region averages from 10 to 12 inches for December, January, and February, but there may actually be more snow in March due to the changing tilt of the Earth. We can attest to that, having seem several large March snow falls. The best thing at that time of the year is that the snow generally doesn't last very long.

I'd heard that the Eskimos had many names for different kinds of snow. A little research yielded this list. We think we've probably seen many of those kinds of snow right here - but we especially love the soft and powdery kind. Here's another great list of Inupiaq Snow Words that I think might apply to our ski areas in particular.

But what about our own snow right here in the Adirondacks? Here is a great discussion about the various types of the white stuff that can be found right here in the Adirondacks, along with some interesting climate data.

Our snowfall melted away that day by noon, but we know more is on the way. In the meanwhile, we get out our ski clothes, sharpen our skis, and check out the ski area websites. Opening day is just around the corner!

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