Yes, it’s snow. Not dandruff…
Here’s a scene that’s been rare this winter in the St. Louis area I live in… snowflakes! It’s been a strange winter in these parts… and it’s not been because of the temperatures. December and January saw plenty of cold (February has been strangely warm, though). 
But the snow that usually graces our presence in accumulation form a few times each winter season has been conspicuously absent. We got about an inch of snow following an ice storm the week before Christmas, and then two dustings since then… one occurring out of the same system that’s currently burying the Northeast that “hit” Wednesday evening…
This photo was taken during that first dusting, which happened in the middle of my New Years week staycation. It’s very difficult to capture snowflakes on camera (I have two photos where the squirrel is out of focus that shows the flakes better), but you can see where they’re falling in front of the darker objects in the picture. And there’s a few places where the pathetic flurries have begun accumulating on the tree trunk It’s a good thing this week’s Saturday Squirrel is wearing his bushy fur coat since it was quite chilly then… but he certainly won’t be needing the snowshoes….
Well, there is still a month and a half left in winter, so who knows? Not that most people have been complaining. Of course, lost time in the snow department can be made up for very quickly in February and March,which have traditionally seen some of our biggest snowstorms…
Have a great weekend everyone!
Evil Squirrel's Nest 
Just say “thank you” and be grateful. We are into a very flaky weather pattern. At least for the next few weeks. We just have to get through it. I know that snow is pretty, but somewhere around mid February 2015, I realized I would be okay to never see another snowflake again.
I think I tolerate snow better than most people because I’m the rare breed that doesn’t mind driving in it, plus I’m too lazy to do any shoveling or plowing so it doesn’t cause me to do more work. I just don’t ever want to be stuck in a southern state again when it snows, because Lord, they think the only way to deal with winter weather is to wait for it to melt…
The poor little fellow looks all hunched up and shivery with the cold. I guess he’s used to it, though.
It’s nowhere near as cold as it could get. The squirrels might very well think this winter has been pretty balmy compared to others…
I never got a photo of a snowfalke… butt not because we rarely have snow it’s because of my untalented paws LOL stay warm and comfy :o)
I shoot most of my winter pictures from inside the house to avoid that problem!
It has been dry up north too. What gives?? Not complaining bc driving in it sucks. I keep forgetting and then remembering your meteorological background. You are an expert.
This Spring will mark 20 years since I’ve graduated (Damn, I’m old), and I’ve probably already forgotten more than I ever learned. God, I don’t know how all the math and physics didn’t kill me. I do know enough to roll my eyes every time someone complains about a winter weather forecast being wrong… it’s a no-win situation for the “experts”….
I’m guilty of that sometimes. For instance, if the forecast predicts 2 – 10 inches of snow, I laugh and say that I’m in the wrong line of work. In the end, it is like any forecast, financial or otherwise.
You don’t mind driving in it. What is your mindset as you venture out? I’m seriously asking bc I hate driving in it. My scariest moment was avoiding a 52 car pile up while driving home. People were driving way too fast for the whiteout conditions and I remember thinking that a crash was going to happen. Sure enough a car slid and the domino effect happened. Metal against metal sounded. I exited the freeway, and when I reentered, I followed the tracks of a semi. It was white knuckle. I also remember having the freeway closed due to an accident. I was stuck with the crowd. People were getting out of their cars and introducing themselves. While we were waiting, 13 inches of lake effect snow piled up.
Ha! You aren’t old.
I think I don’t mind driving in winter weather anymore just because I’ve wound up with so much experience in it already. I’ve been right out in the middle of most of our worst snow and ice storms we’ve had in the last 15 years or so… and I guess most importantly for my mindset, without incident. I certainly don’t like driving on crappy roads, but I’m not afraid to go out there even with all of the idiots…
Ditto here on the lack of snow……not complaining but kind of wondering what the “trade off” will be…..extra HOT spring/summer? Or will we get ZAPPED in March with a whopper of a snow storm – it’s happened before! At least the squirrels have nice warm coats and hopefully good stashes of food “just in case” !
Pam
I would be surprised if there isn’t something major late season. It’s been 20 years since we had an April snowfall, so I’m always hoping for that (Just because it’s so odd)… and it’s just the kind of messed up winter where that might happen!
Denver hasn’t seen much snow either this winter. Yesterday was 80. Yes, 8-0. In February. Mother Nature is clearly mixed up. Hopefully we’ll get some form of H20 in the form of white stuff soon. Enjoy the weekend!
Wow! I’d have to consult the record books, but I’m not sure we’ve ever had 80 in a winter month before! 60’s and 70’s happen a few times each year, and then the odd winter thunderstorm like we had Tuesday morning. Come to think of it, I believe this is the anniversary of a rather famous winter tornado St. Louis had back in the 50’s…
80 was the official temp-it was “only” 78 at my house. It was 82 at my mom’s who lives south by 110 miles. Very bizarro weather for the Front Range this time of year.
We’ve also had a mild winter. My daffodils are already up and there are some red buds in bloom. The squirrels stay hungry, though, and I’ve helped them through the winter with acorns, nuts and some bird seed. They all look healthy.
There’s been plenty to eat here all winter, especially since my oak produced a lot of acorns last Fall for the first time in three years. But I piled on with unwanted peanuts and corn on the cob anyway…
The weather has been weird here too. Warm, cold, rain, snow…he looks like he’s staying warm.
I’ve seen squirrels out in nipple cracking weather, and they never seem to look cold or shiver. That fur must be pretty warm…
The winter here has been cold and snowy. Yes, I know I live in Canada where I should expect it. But where I live is in a bit of a valley where we usually don’t see much snow or if we do it doesn’t last long because we get a lot of chinooks. (We’re in one now that is melting the snow). This winter we’ve had more snow than usual and colder weather for longer periods of time. Only thing moving around here is the Magpies.
We had that winter a few years ago, and I’m glad Mother Nature got it out of her system. What tiny bit of snow that fell Wednesday is already long gone since we’re back in ice cream weather now with more 70’s! 21 years ago this week, we were in the minus-teens!
The snow is piled at least 15 ft. high in some places (piled by a plow) but we got tons of snow this last 2 wks which isn’t normal..it’s also been dry..if it can be two things? I’m sparking electric bolts when ever I take my sweater off!! Weird! 🙂 T.
Colder air is generally dryer than warm air regardless of snow. The kind of snow that really piles up is practically powder… though I’d think as close to the ocean as you are that it wouldn’t be THAT dry.
The winter fluff on squirrels is probably the thing I love most about winter! We’ve had the same thing here this winter; several dustings but no serious accumulation, other than the 4 inches we had last Monday. After all the boring non-winters we’ve had because of El Niño and The Blob, even a dusting of snow makes the world seem like a magical winter wonderland!
This has been the boringest winter I can ever remember, at least weather wise. February seems to be turning into April with all of the days it’s been 60 or warmer so far…
Oh, and a friendly reminder from me not to forget to check out last week’s SCT when you can. You will not be disappointed!