The upcoming winter season is quickly approaching. Last winter was a little below average on the amount of snow that fell. For those who are not a fan of winter, that was good. Even though it can be fun to compare the coming winter to last winter, that can be a flawed method for determining what is to come.
The winter of 2015-2016 was warmer than average and less snowy than average. The winter of 2014-2015 was well below average on the temperature, but was just about average on snow. The winter of 2013-2014 was about average on temperature, but was way above average on snow, with a total of 116″ of snow, compared to average of 74″ of snow.
Those three seasons show a quick glimpse as to why it is hard to compare one winter to the last. Now I do not want to say that the past weather patterns tell us nothing about the future, but looking at just the past season is not enough history. When using the past, you have to look at many years, and larger trends to use the past to predict the future.
The upcoming winter season may be a mystery as to what it has in store for use. However, if I were to guess, there will be snow, there will be cold weather; we have yet to have a snow-less winter, and I do not think that will happen in this area with Lake Michigan so close. But winter is just one of the reasons that this area is so beautiful.