With the first quarter over, it becomes that time when students start looking forward to Thanksgiving, winter break and snow days. With a disappointing snowfall last year, students wonder whether this year will be filled with lots of snow days or the same as last year with only one. Between the freezing temperatures, snow, ice and even hail, this part of the year is one that no one can be sure how it will turn out, but hundreds of people try to take a guess.
Last year was quite the disappointment for snow-loving people, as the season only brought 7.3 inches to southern Montgomery County. Last year, the snowfall was about 14 inches less than average, while this year they are projecting about the same numbers as a typical D.C. winter. Even though they can be wrong, Fox 5 weather believes due to the weak La Niña, which is when sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean drop to lower-than-normal levels, there will be about an average amount of snow and 1-2 more storms than last year, each at about 4-8 inches. Even though this can seem good at first, it may come with a price. “While one can never be ruleout, a big snow storm is not favored this year (big = 10”+ in D.C.) due to a weak La Niña,” Fox 5 weekend weather meteorologist Mike Thomas said.
Snow is not the only factor in winter weather as temperature also plays a huge factor. With students walking from all over to get to school, whether it’s their houses, Rockshire, or even just the main lot, the cold weather affects everyone’s choices of what to wear. Last year’s average temperature throughout winter was 45 degrees, which is a little higher than the normal average. As the average is typically 40 degrees, predictions look to be around that range again for this upcoming season, which will have people bringing out their gloves and hats again. “With a weak La Niña forecast, we favor temperatures this winter to be colder than last year, but also to come in slightly above normal overall,” Thomas said.
With the school’s main snow source MoCoSnow not making any predictions for the season yet, students have decided to make their own predictions hoping for the best outcomes. Even if Montgomery County has too many snow days and has to take days out of Spring break, students such as junior Jared Rabin still hope for a big winter filled with cold temperatures and lots of snow storms. Rabin, who has taken a guess of his own every winter for the past few years, has already made his prediction for this season. “We are going to have a big winter this year I know that,” Rabin said. “I’m calling it now, we are going to have a big storm in the second week of December. Mark your calendars.”
Danny Rothenberg
News Editor
