The year always starts and ends during winter, the season of snow. Beautiful white seen here and there, ice collecting on the roads, and cold air making everyone shiver. Well at least that’s how it’s supposed to be. December of 2023, snow in Utah seemed to be non-existent. What was supposed to be a white Christmas, was just a normal, cold day. Then suddenly in January, a cold blast just showed up at our door steps.
January 10, 2024. Snow covered the ground, piling and piling on top of itself. It was the first day of the heavy snowfall, a warning was issued out to Utahans bewaring them for a possible snow squall. Where did the sudden snowfall come from and why? When asked what he thought caused this winter blast, Alejandro Chicardini, an earth science teacher at Kearns High, states, “I’m not very sure. Most likely the moisture came from the northwest and the cold front collected the moisture. When it became heavy enough it started to snow.” Mr Chicardini explains that it wasn’t just a winter miracle, it was the cold front causing the drop in temperature.
With snow comes both positive and negative effects. Giannelle Carrada, a student in Corner Canyon High School, says that the weather has caused her to wear larger coats that aren’t as comfortable as her normal jackets. In an interview with Kenia Pena, a student at Kearns High, she said, “I normally walk to school with my friend, but because of the snow and how cold it was, we stayed home and couldn’t go to school. My dad also works in construction, which is an outside job, and when he comes home he tells me how tired he is and how hard it is to work in the cold.” The cold has had a clear negative impact, but what about the positives? Well when speaking on the matter, Mr. Chicardini explained, “ When the snow melts, it’ll go into rivers and other bodies of water, giving us a reserve of water. Another plus is that lots of people have fun in the snow.” Many others, like him, also enjoy the activities that come with a snowy, cold environment.
The cold blast continued for about a week. A week full of snow that should’ve been there as its winter, but still surprised us. It has brought both good and bad things with it opinions on the blast vary from enjoying it to dreading it. What are your thoughts on the winter weather? How did it affect you?
