Finally, we got a winter storm this year!

I was wondering if we’d ever get some snow.

The rest of the country got pounded by snow and cold weather, while Utah, for the most part, seems to have forgotten what winter means.

Maybe it just decided that we’d had enough snow last year and now it’s taking a breather. At least it’s giving us one more week so that we don’t completely forget about it.

So what does this mean for you?

I don’t really know, but I’ll have fun guessing…

Don’t blink or you might miss winter

What are the negatives?

I hate looking at the negatives, so I might try to spin them slightly positive.

1. Less water for the year
   • On the bright side, our reservoirs were pretty much all full from last year. So hopefully there won’t be much worries about drought this Summer.
2. Not the greatest snow on Earth
   • I’m sure the resorts aren’t loving this winter season. I’m sure they still have snow, but I don’t know how much of that they’ve had to make, vs how much was natural. In any case, it’s hard to get too excited about skiing or snowboarding when there’s very little signs of snow in the valley.
3. Most likely, all of our fruit trees will blossom before the last frost of the season. Good bye apricots.
   • This one is sad for me. I really like our Utah fruit trees to produce (no pun intended). Maybe we’ll get lucky and we’ll skip that last frost, but who knows.
4. We get to hear more rhetoric about global warming.
   • I don’t know if global warming is real or not. All I know is that I get tired of the debates.

What are the positives?

This is my favorite part, because I like to look on the brighter side of things.

1. Less smog
   • I don’t think anyone can complain about this. Without the snow on the ground, the inversions just can’t seem to get a foot hold.
2. Safer Roads
   • While there have been a few mornings with freezing temperatures, without snow and rain, there’s been a lot less ice on the roads.
3. More construction work
   • We’re able to do a lot more, getting your homes built with fewer delays. Of course that also reflects poorly on us if we still have delays, but compared to other years, we’ve been able to get more work done.
4. Smaller heating bills
   • Without the inversion, the outside temperatures are warmer. This means your house doesn’t have to work as hard to keep the inside comfortable. Also, if you have heat tape in your gutters, you probably haven’t had to use it as often, saving you on electric bills.
5. Less snow to shovel
   • No need to break your back this year. However, if you’re lucky enough to live in one of our senior communities, you wouldn’t have to shovel your own snow anyway. But there is the added benefit of living in one of our communities: the HOA has probably been able to save money by not plowing every week.
6. More outdoor time
   • This is debatable. If you love skiing and sledding, maybe you’re not getting out as much. But if you just like going for a jog or a walk, there have been some down-right beautiful days this season for it.
7. My favorite thing of all:
   • Having such a mild winter might mean that you don’t have to drive all the way down to Saint George for your winter home? Instead you can own a home in a Utah or Salt Lake county senior community. Coincidentally, that’s what we make! Yeah! Now you can enjoy the warmer winter season and still live close to your family. Who knows what next year will bring, but going back to the Global Warming debate, maybe we’ll get more winters like this. If not, you can at least be assured that your snow will still get shoveled for you.