<p>What does it mean for Spring term? Not much</p>
<p>Has</a> there ever been a semester without a major snowstorm? (Dec. 15, 2011)</p>
<p>Variable snow per the article. People remember recent years with well above average snowfalls. We do need a snow cover to insulate the ground before extremely low temperatures to protect plants. We also need low temps to freeze the Great Lakes’ surfaces to avoid loss of water and lower water levels. This affects Great Lakes shipping and therefore the state economy some even though Madison isn’t in that watershed (up north rivers flow to the lakes but in Madison they flow to the Mississippi river). As much as people may hate the snow and cold it is a necessary part of the local ecology.</p>