Grading Winter 2025-26

[WxWatcher007]

Last year I fired up the annual thread on March 8. After a continuous period of snow cover for the last seven weeks and two days, my CT pack finally gave up the ghost yesterday on our first 70 degree day since October 19. 

With respect to those still tracking wintry chances (myself included), it's time to fire up the thread. 

This was my first year since returning to CT in 2018 with the following: 

1) A normal snowfall winter
2) Over 50" of snowfall 
3) Several below zero low days
4) DJF all below normal avg temperature
5) Maximum snow depth over 12" for an extended period
6) Maximum snow depth of over 18"
7) No major cutters in DJF
8) NYD snow
9) Two 12"+ Events
10) An entire winter month with snow cover

I also spent most of my first winter up at my new place in Saranac Lake. We're in striking distance of 150" on the season there, with continuous snow cover since November 27 and measurable snow falling on Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. Maximum low of -20.2 and nearly 36 hours of below zero temperatures during a cold blast. 

Don't need to do much thinking about this winter.

In CT it is an A. The combination of cold, snow, high end events, and snow cover is some of the best I've seen, even going back to my childhood in CT. Some potential left on the table, but we didn't get porked too badly. 

In SLK I mean my God. If we can do better than 2025-26...A+

The Big Dogs

CT

 

SLK

 

 

[Sey-Mour Snow]

Snowfall wise for me A-.  Overall winter A+ pack, cold, no rain, plenty of snow . 

[mreaves]

I'm thinking B- or maybe a B.  It was a consistent winter but I'm still 10"-15" below normal for snow.  We did get just about wiped out a week or so before Christmas. It never got down to completely bare ground but set back the start of snowmobile season.  The cold was consistent, somewhat low grade.  We didn't have any truly low minimums but had a lot of low maximums. If we could have held out with winter for another week or so, the grade might be a bit higher.

[SJonesWX]

I give this winter an A-. great pack year, although it was a little less great in the end of Dec and first half of Jan. my pack maxed out at around 2’, which is nothing to sneeze at.

Obviously there was plenty of cold around. as of today I am just over average at 74”. Was nice to get out on the local snowmobile trails for a change.

[vortex95]

16 minutes ago, SJonesWX said:

I give this winter an A-. great pack year, although it was a little less great in the end of Dec and first half of Jan. my pack maxed out at around 2’, which is nothing to sneeze at.

Obviously there was plenty of cold around. as of today I am just over average at 74”. Was nice to get out on the local snowmobile trails for a change.

CoastalWx probably gives it a "C" b/c "all that cold and all we could get is two lousy 20"+ storms in Weymouth!!"    And he was so "done" w/ NNE getting it all so early!

[H2Otown_WX]

I think if we're done it gets a B or B+. The snowpack was impressive due to the consistent cold and even the cold in absolutes was pretty good at times with highs under 20F several times including the January storm having temps in the single digits with heavy snow. I just don't think it deserves an A when I only got slightly above climo for snowfall. I would take a winter like '02-'03 and '04-'05 over this one just on account of them having significantly more snow but I can see how areas south of me would give it an A since they did so much better in the storm a couple weeks ago. This winter reminded me a lot of 2000-01 but with better results for eastern NE and NYC. Both had a few huge storms without much in between.