The Snow Comes Marching In

At long last, we have seen the end of the snow draught of February of 2012, to be ushered in by the fresh scent of a momentous powder day.

Northern Vermont averages a total of 101 inches of snow within a winter, with 24 of those inches coming in the month of February. This February, however, Lyndonville received only 9 inches of the white stuff, and most of that came in one minor snowstorm.

Whether you were urging for more fortunate weather patterns, doing your ritualistic snow dance, or simply waking up to another mild, partly cloudy day, still the crystals did not fall. No brushing off the windshield. No fresh powder on your morning groomers. No pillow lines, even through unmarked trails. Dull.

With the six-inch storm on the night of February 24 followed by the beautiful Saturday powder day, hopes rose for the potential of a seasonal savior.

"I can feel it in my bones," said a Burke Mountain frequent, "March will turn this whole season around."

So far so good. March 1, 2012 brought 9" of powder to Burke Mountain, an amount matching the total amount of snow in Lyndonville for the entire month of February.

Today, with the sun shining and highs of 35 degrees, will be one of the nicest days to catch some powder on the mountain. As Vermonters and snow lovers, it is our duty to shred what was intended to be shredded, and to keep a positive outlook toward a white March of 2012.