Thursday, January 12 brought with it another 1.1" of snow. We were fortunate to not have school called off, although we were one of only three in Mid-MO that did not. Don't get me wrong, I love snow days, but with the warm winter we've been having, I haven't really felt the "need" to have a day off. The kids have been great, we've spent a lot of time outside, and we're kind of in this groove at school. Every January and February I teach Astronomy, but it is inevitably interrupted many times by snow days, wreaking havoc on any continuity required for deep understanding. So this year has been nice.
Again. I love snow days. Let's see if we get one this year.
My thoughts on this winter. I usually get quite upset if we go this long into the season without a nice snowstorm or two. But not this year. We have reached above 60 degrees and even 70 a number of times. I believe we have broken two high temperature records (at Columbia), and our rainfall has been somewhat average. I've really enjoyed it. I think the thing I have noticed and appreciate the most is the abundant sunshine. This pattern sure has many meteorologists puzzled, as Alaska and northern Canada have been in the deep freeze for most of the winter with temperatures steady in the -20 to -40s. Each week there is talk of this cold air spilling southward, and each week it stays where it is.
Groundhog day is only 2 weeks away. Lots can happen in two weeks in the midwest.
