John Wheeler: Winter's slow start may not portend an easy season

FARGO — When it comes to weather, it's hard not to live in the present. The fall season has been a mild one with hardly even a threat of snow over most of the region. Leaves lingered late on the trees.

Lakes are not yet cold enough to start forming ice. With winter last year almost a no-show, and with few indications of an early start this time, one could easily be lulled to sleep with the thought that another winter-free winter is coming. My advice is to not go to sleep on winter just yet.



The winter of 2018-19 comes to mind. That winter started soft but delivered a hearty storm right after Christmas, then turned soft again. Then late January brought extreme cold followed by an exhausting barrage of heavy snow and blizzards throughout February and March.

Winter is a long season in our region and a soft start says little about the middle and the end..