Our last winter in Michigan, the 2013/2014 season, resulted in 115 inches of snow accumulation, breaking the previous record that had stood for over one hundred and thirty-three years.  We had been thinking of moving South for some time and this extra snowfall provided added incentive.  We moved to Missouri in the Summer of 2014!

Our first winter in Missouri the total snowfall was a little over 4 inches and the most we’ve had in the five winters since was an annual accumulation of 6 inches.  Just enough to remember its beauty but not enough to last for very long. Total melting is rarely more than 72 hours.

With all the ice melting in the Arctic, scientists say the polar vortex is breaking.  Which I believe means the cold northern winds don’t flow like years passed.  Instead of a wide swath of freezing temperatures across Canada and the northern U.S. border states; now, like a split tongue, the northern U.S. border states are experiencing milder, less snowy, winters but the lower U.S. states are receiving snow and colder temperatures more than ever before. Michigan and Missouri winters are more similar now in both temperatures and snowfall.  One reason for moving South in 2014 no longer exists in the Winter of 2021.  Who knows, maybe we will move back to our home state someday?  We shall see.