Minnesotans faced a challenge in this unusual winter: no snow.
A prolonged thaw at the end of January left residents of central and southern Minnesota shedding their parkas, bewildered by bare ground at the beginning of February. The lack of snow hindered ski loppet races around the Twin Cities but gave spring sports itching for outdoor practice an early start.
“Essentially, what we’re experiencing now is a drought. It’s just a winter drought so it doesn’t seem dry,” said junior Matt Cox, an environmental science major at St. Thomas.
February is the driest month of the year, according to the Minnesota DNR, and although Minnesota is not a drought zone, the lack of snow is putting the area at risk.
“If we have a dry summer as well then it’ll be a really tough year for the plants,” Cox said.
The plants aren’t the only ones struggling without snow. The City of Lakes Loppet in Golden Valley was shortened 2.4 kilometers due to lack of snow on the course. This alteration still required snow to be brought in before the races.
“We had to take more time to haul in snow for parts of the course that didn’t have any,” volunteer Dillon Adams said.
Participants did two loops on the shorter course instead of a full, one-way race because snow to create the course was scarce, Adams said.
While snow sports are suffering, spring sports are rejoicing. Junior, ultimate frisbee player Matthew Larsen said it is unusual to be able to practice his throws outside in early February.
“When the weather’s nice enough, no snow is kind of nice,” Larsen said.
Unusually warm temperatures in November and December delayed ice formation and snow build-up by one to two weeks in southern Minnesota, according to the Minnesota DNR. Although snowfall was normal in January, temperatures were between three and six degrees above average. Minnesotans braced themselves for cold and were rewarded with warmth in a long thaw in the last weeks of January.
After the thaw, frost penetrated two feet into the bare ground in much of central Minnesota, according to the Minnesota DNR, which is deeper than average.
The unusual weather’s effects on plants may persist as gardeners take up their spades, hoes and seeds.
“When the soil is not insulated by the snow, the permafrost is going to get deeper in the soil… It’s going to take longer to thaw out in the spring,” Cox said.
The long term effects of lack of snow will appear in the spring too. Trees will not have enough water, grass will be slower to grow back and seeds will take longer to sprout.
Although lack of snow can endanger plant life, this year, “the cold isn’t quite as much of an issue … when it’s been as warm as it has been,” Cox said.
As for gardeners worried about their plants, non-native plants risk the most damage uncovered in cold weather because they are not used to direct exposure to extreme cold. However, native plants should bounce back come spring — just like Minnesotans do.
Natalie Hall can be reached at @hall0224@stthomas.edu.