Where is the snow??

Almost every forecast I looked at for the winter 2010-11 said "above normal temperatures and below normal snowfall" because of the La Nina conditions in the Pacific. So far, the forecast has been right on the money. I'm not a huge winter fan and I have to admit the temperatures lately have been fantastic (and the lack of wind has been nice too). But the lack of snowfall this winter is just amazing. Northwest Kansas averages over 41 inches of snow in a winter, and Goodland has yet to get 3 inches. Wichita averages just over 16 inches of snow in a typical winter, and we still haven't had anything measurable.

If you look back at previous winter seasons, the winter of 1922-23 only saw .7" of snow in Wichita, which is the least snowiest on record. This winter is almost identical to the 2001-02 season where almost no snow occurred until late January, February, and March. That winter, we ended up with just 4 inches of snow. Depending on your thoughts about snow and winter, we still need moisture, and the lack of it is hurting the wheat crop. A pattern change is expected this weekend that could bring some moisture to the area, but how much we'll get is still a little uncertain. It is safe to say it won't be enough to erase the drought conditions, but even if we could get .25" - .50" of liquid precipitation, that would sure help out. Get ready for a BIG blast of cold next week, that could be around for 4-6 days.