It's been cold to say the least this winter, but how does it stack up overall?

Severe, say the experts, bordering on extreme.

The MRCC has something called the Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index or the AWSSI. It measures the winter this way:

Winter seasons have significant societal impacts across all sectors ranging from direct human health and mortality to commerce, transportation, and education. The question “How severe was this winter?” does not have a simple answer.

 

At the very least, the severity of a winter is related to the intensity and persistence of cold weather, the frequency and amount of snow, and the amount and persistence of snow on the ground. The Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI) was developed to objectively quantify and describe the relative severity of the winter season.

MRCC
MRCC
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As you can see, we're teetering on extreme this winter, but with temperatures scheduled to scoot up into the 40s this weekend, this may change.

We'll check in later this winter to see how harsh it will continue to be.

In the meantime, make a mental note to let your grandkids know how hard winters were for you growing up and save it for thirty years in the future. They'll love you for it, especially if you add in how hard it was to drive your own car back in the day.

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