LTown News

The Imprint

LTown News

The Imprint

LTown News

The Imprint

Costly Winter Weather

Around this time of year, school aged kids are praying for wintry weather to close their school systems to earn an extra day at home. This year, even the biggest of blizzard buffs got more than they have bargained for. With 16 winter storms for this year alone, coupled with record lows across the country, most people are crying out for spring.

The government is just as fed up with the weather as the people. According to an article published on mashable.com, analysts say that the arctic blast have cost the U.S. government just about $5 billion as of February 23rd, which is rapidly closing in on last year’s brutal winter that ended up with a price tag of $5.5 billion, and we weren’t finished. That following Wednesday, snow fell in the south of the country totaling 12.7 inches at the highest point, canceling flights and taking out power lines. In the following days, snowstorms traveled from the east coast to west, effectively blanketing the country with rather fluffy flakes and driving up the payout to cover closures, insurance claims, and things of that nature.

Snow isn’t the only culprit. Rain mixed with temperatures in the teens made roads icy, leading to more closures, accidents, and man hours for policeman and department of transportation workers.

New England received most of the impact. Winter storms Juno and Marcus have made the top 10 heaviest snowstorms in Boston and February will go down in history as the city’s snowiest month. The 2014-2015 winter season is already number 2 as Boston’s snowiest season at 105.7 inches, just 2 inches away from the 1995-1996 season which currently holds the record. In New York, people are moving out of the state to escape the cold and some are even seeking therapy to cope with cabin fever and lethargy.

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This week, March 8-14, seems to the light (and heat) and the end of the tunnel. Temperatures for our area started off the week in the 60s and is hovering in a comfortable 50 degree range. It feels like we’ve weathered our last storm, and are headed for brighter and sunnier days, just in time for spring break.

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