Pros and cons of winter snowpack
By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist
Wintry weather has recently dominated conditions across the Midwest and Great Plains, with strong pushes of arctic air bringing subzero temperatures and supporting bouts of accumulating snowfall.
Over the past week and a half, residents of Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas have endured lengthy periods of single-digit to subzero temperatures for up to 96 consecutive hours, along with multiple hits of accumulating snowfall adding up to well over 6 inches across the board.
Temperatures have yet to reach the freezing mark since the flakes started flying early last week, leaving behind a healthy snowpack. The blanket of white is a novelty to some and a nuisance for others, but in fairness to both sides, snowpack certainly has its share of objective pros and cons.
Many of the downsides to having several inches of snow on the ground are obvious. Including but not limited to treacherous roadways, slippery sidewalks, muddy foyers and an excess of salt in places it shouldn’t be. Snowpack also has negative implications when it comes to temperatures, acting to refrigerate the air above it even on the sunniest of days. The reflectance of snow, also known as its albedo, is very high compared to that of bare ground or asphalt. This unique property allows up to 90% of the sun’s radiant energy to be reflected off of snow-covered surfaces back into space, rather than being absorbed and reemitted in the form of heat. The bright glare of fresh snow on a clear day is not only blinding — in a way, it’s also chilling.
On the flip side, snow lovers find beauty in a lingering coat of white and many find joy in the recreational opportunities it can provide. Assuming there’s enough snowfall, Northwest Missouri’s river bluffs provide plenty of hilly terrain for sledding, tubing and even a bit of skiing. Snow also creates a great opportunity to observe wildlife, as deer, fox, rabbit and lynx trails become visible, along with striking species of birds, such as cardinals and bald eagles.
Lingering snowpack also has a few practical positives, including a handful of environmental benefits. Although snow is associated with subfreezing temperatures, it can actually act as an insulator to surface soils when air temperatures are extremely cold. In some cases, insulation from snow can help mitigate root damage to plants and shrubs when the mercury drops well below zero. Snowpack is also a good source of moisture, something that can be hard to come by in the winter months when the atmosphere tends to be driest across the Midwest and Great Plains. As snow melts, it acts to moisten top soils at a gradual pace allowing for maximum absorption.
Love it or hate it, current snow on the ground will not be sticking around much longer as above-freezing temperatures are expected to bring a late January thaw to Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas next week.
