A white Christmas for 2016?

Scott Rando
Posted 12/21/16

At the writing of this column, the temperature is in the low 20s and the wind is blowing at 20 mph with higher gusts. A winter storm is forecast for the upcoming weekend, with several inches of snow …

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A white Christmas for 2016?

Posted

At the writing of this column, the temperature is in the low 20s and the wind is blowing at 20 mph with higher gusts. A winter storm is forecast for the upcoming weekend, with several inches of snow possible before it turns to rain. It is certainly a good time to be indoors writing a River Talk column. Some light and lake-effect snowfalls earlier this month left enough snow in some areas for cross-country skiing.

The big question for the upcoming holiday season as far as the weather is concerned is probably, “Are we going to have a white Christmas?” Looking at the 10-day forecast, there are a few somewhat mild days on tap between now and Christmas, but if enough snow falls in the upcoming weekend storm, there may be enough leftover snow on the ground for the kids to try out their new sleds that may have been left under the tree.

In fields and forests, the local wildlife will adapt to a white Christmas or any other snow that falls over the winter. It can get tough for some species if the snow gets too deep; they have to expend more energy to forage, as food is more difficult to access. Getting around can also be tricky. If we do get a white Christmas—or it’s “white” before or after—it might be a good time to take a walk or perhaps try out those snow shoes. Even if you don’t see many critters, you will spot their tracks. To check your chances of having a white Christmas, visit https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-images/are-you-dreaming-white-christmas.

On behalf of all the folks at The River Reporter, I wish you all peace and joy for the holiday season.

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