Howard County sets a snow record

Howard County - With a blizzard hitting the area on Sunday, Feb. 24, it was hard for area precipitation record-keepers to accurately report on snowfall totals. 

The National Weather Service in LaCrosse has averaged the snowfall to about eight inches, which tops the February record snowfall set in 2007. On Feb. 21, the total inches was at 23.3 inches. Add eight inches, and the total so far is 31.3 inches!

The top five February inches were: 

Feb. 24, 2019 31.3

2007 31.1

1939 26.5

1959 26

1962 17.1

The snowfall also moved the area up to the seventh-most inches for the season at 59.1. If another 4.4 inches falls, it will put this winter up to third. So far, the top 11 snowiest winters are: 

1950-51 85.6

1958-59 73.3

1951-52 63.5

2006-07 61.4

1981-82 60.5

1970-71 60.3

Feb. 24, 2019 59.1

1938-39 57.6

2010-11 56.7

1978-79 56.3

2013-14 55.4

The area is fortunate to have Cresco as a National Weather Service weather co-op observer. Because of that, precipitation has been recorded since the 1930s.

Unfortunately, the snow brings on some hardships. While some individuals, such as snowmobilers, are ecstatic about the snowfall. Others, such as those who have to remove it, aren’t so happy. This includes Cresco City workers, who have been working 10-12 hour days since the snow started steadily falling over a month ago. Public Works Director Rod Freidhof said, “This winter is right up there with the winter of 2006-07.”

There are five employees on the street department trying to keep the streets cleaned and snowbanks pushed back from corners. The overwhelming job has been helped with the five employees of water and sewer helping out as well. Freidhof joked he even jumped in a truck a few days to help get rid of some of the snow.

“These guys have been working overtime to keep the streets clean. Then they have to go home and take care of their own properties.”

One good thing about the weather is even with all the overtime, salt and sand have not been needed as much as other years.

The excess snow has been dumped at the yard waste area south of town, as well as the lot west of Regional Health Services of Howard County.

Sometimes setting records is a good thing. Sometimes it’s not.

Although there isn’t a lot of talk about what will happen when it thaws, other parts of the state have already had to deal with flooding.

Each community in the area has their own snow removal problems and worry about the thaw, which is hopefully coming soon!