By Renee Skudra

Having grown up in western New York, you take snow for granted. I can remember one year in Buffalo the snow drifts outside our home, which measured over six feet, were an infinite blanket of whiteness covering our lawns, homes, cars, and lives. There was a stillness to it all, the absence of noise, as we all sat encased in a wintry portrait at the mercy of an unrelenting winter. How is it that I miss that snow, and everything associated with it? Plenty of rain here, admittedly, but why the snow drought? According to the weather people the last time we had a considerable amount of snow in North Carolina was over two years ago. This winter season is predicted to be slightly drier than normal and that means below average snowfall expectancy. Any snow we do get will likely be a few flurries that disappear by noon.

I will tell you that I am a sentimental person, and I have been waiting for it, intent on letting my son see the marvel that was a regular visitor in my childhood. Meanwhile the sled, skis, and ice skates that I bought are sitting in the closet, mournfully, waiting to be used. As the writer Colette said, “Hope costs nothing,” and if snow does not happen for us this month, there is always the next. As another optimist said, “it is not over, until it is over.”

I know why snow matters to me, but it is also critically important for our universe. According to the National Snow & Ice Data Center, seasonal snow is an important part of Earth’s climate system. Snow cover helps regulate the temperature of earth’s surface, and once that snow melts, the water helps fill rivers and reservoirs in many regions of the world – especially the western United States where snowmelt provides 75% of the water supply. Untold numbers of people depend on snow to provide water. From a scientific point of view, snow’s high reflectivity helps Earth’s energy balance because it reflects solar energy back into space which helps cool our planet. One commentator remarks, “Snow functions as an excellent insulator of the soil. Without snow, very cold temperatures can freeze the soil deeper and deeper. This could lead to damage of root systems of trees and shrubs.” Don Janssen, in his article “The Benefits of Snow,” states that a pile of snow can also benefit mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects hibernating beneath the ground. Between it and the fallen snow is a new micro-habitat called a subnivium, which is full of mosses and fungi wherein creatures find protection from the frosty blanket above them.

Surprisingly, snow is also good for your mental health. The physical activity that being in a snowy environment makes you move – consequent aerobic exercise gets your heart pumping along with the correlative release of endorphins, uplifting mood, and alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression. Simple physical exertion and exposure to fresh air significantly boosts mental well-being and energy levels, even if exposure may be short. The cold can increase cardiovascular and lymphatic circulation resulting in a healthier you.

At the same time snow days create opportunities for slowing down, spending much needed time with family and friends. The existence of snow can be a useful pause button, a respite from the busy pace of life. According to research at the University of Kentucky, snow has acoustical properties which absorb sound – up to 60% of noise; a quiet environment helps one keep calm and centered. A blanket of snow can actually make everything quiet and more serene. Snow acts as a natural sound barrier, muffling the usual noises of our environment. The decrease in auditory stimulation promotes a sense of tranquility and relaxation. Spending time in a snowy environment leads to greater vitality and better physical health and happier moods.

The memories in my youth–building snowmen, sledding, ice-skating, skiing, and the beauty of a snow-covered city, are simple pleasures that I realize many people have been missing here in the Triad. Many people, like Carl Reiner have said, “A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.” But so many others of us yearn for the extraordinary feelings of amazement and wonder that the sudden and unexpected excitement of snow brings. In the children’s movie, “Frozen,” a character named Elsa says, “Let the storm rage on. The cold never bothered me anyway.” I hear you, girl—fingers crossed, I am keeping my eye out for that tiny patch of just-might-happen snow!