The Most Disappointing Winter

[Brent]

We're only a week in and I'm already calling this one.

2006-2007. The end. I am so sick of this.

[southerngale]

We're only a week in and I'm already calling this one.

2006-2007. The end. I am so sick of this.

mizzou, is that you?

[JBG]

this one so far.

It's only been winter for 2 days.

Meteorological winter started around December 6. So far, this bites as bad as 2001-2. Even 1972-3, which wound up being the "unsnowiest" started out with a few exciting close calls and false alarms.

So far, this winter. Zero, zip, nada.

[peteywheatstraw]

The most disappointing winters I can recall were

the one of 1989-90 because of the historic freeze of late December 1989, which was the only one in the 20th century to have the mercury drop below 10f in south Louisiana where I lived - it was preceded by mild weather so the vegetation kill was devastating - we lost all citrus of course and it even killed a pear and a plum tree in our backyard, after bearing fruit for the first time that year. On Christmas day morning, a massive explosion (cold related) occured at the massive Exxon refinery in Baton Rouge whcih could be heard 40 miles away.

And the ones of 1991 and 1993, because of very excessive rains caused by El Nino - the Januarys of those years seemed to have had gloomy rain almost every day of the month.

[JBG]

The December 1989 freeze, which was pretty much nationwide, degenerated into an uber-mild January and February.

[peteywheatstraw]

Yes, I remember that - the first half of January 1990 had temps well into the 70s most days where I lived. An otherwise mild winter was 'ruined' by the arctic freeze just a couple of weeks prior.
Interestingly, the grandaddy of all freezes, the one in mid Feb. 1899 was preceded by a normal winter and also followed by a quick warmup.

[Miss Mary]

Funny story to share, this topic seems like a good place to tell it:

I was at my local BP gas station the other day and paying for gum, candy, etc. The young clerk (mid 20s) was talking to a customer saying - oh yeah, this is the calm before the storm, it's coming, it's coming! Now I consider myself up on wx and all that - LOL. Not an expert by any stretch of the means like many here but I know when severe wx is hitting the lower 48. That said, I was now curious. I asked him - what's coming? He was so fired up! Saying - "you know that storm that's hitting Denver? It's coming here! To Cincinnati!!!! All that snow!" I just about choked on my gum....he he. I said - really? Hmmmmm.....suddenly, he wondered what I had heard. I explained that I had just listened to the updated forecast on my wx band radio - he gave me a funny look, as if to ask - what's that? LOL

Long story short, I mentioned our long range 10 to 14 day outlook - above normal temps, etc. and the next 5 days at least were all way above normal. He was shocked.

Here he had been telling everybody Denver's snowstorm was coming this way.

I am still cracking up. And to be really honest, I did listen to my wx band radio forecast again, when I got home. Just out of pure hope, ya know.....

Of course, now you know this young clerk was wrong. I should have said you want snow, go to Denver! But he would have said, wait a few days and it will be here...

Yeah when you know what freezes over.....LOL

Mary

[JonathanBelles]

hopefully by february we will begin sliding into freezing temperatures and snow in the north, and 30's and 40's in the south.

[bob rulz]

Haha, that's an awesome story Miss Mary!

[cswitwer]

It's been a tough month or so in Seattle -- floods, wind storms, power outages, but not real cold & not real wintery yet. I'd like some nice flakes soon...

[Miss Mary]

Stop the presses - I saw a flurry! Yes I know, a flurry does not a snowstorm make. But hey it feels like winter out there now.....

At least it is beginning to feel like January. Last time I checked our local temp was 36. Now that's more like it....

Mary