1939

Having no class news, not even the passing of any classmates (thankfully), let me comment about the subject on everyone's mind this year in these parts—our winter weather.

Winter in northern New England can be rough—bitter cold and often plenty of snow. However, this winter has been special. Temperatures have been about average with other years, but the snowfall has been something else! As I write this in mid-February the snowfall for Concord, New Hampshire, is already more than 80 inches. The Hanover area gets more snow than Concord, and snow season still has at least six weeks to go.

There have been no blockbuster storms but during the past 11 weeks, snowfalls of four to 12 inches have averaged about two per week. For December alone I paid for eight plowings of my driveway and the frequent storms have continued. Cities and towns in New Hampshire and Vermont have already used most of their annual supplies of road salt and expended most of their winter budgets. Snowplow operators have been working overtime almost constantly.

The early snow was light and fluffy but recent storms have brought wet, dense snow. Several heavy rainstorms have added great weight to the snowpack and a lot of ice. Every day brings news of collapsed roofs and local flooding. We had our roof shoveled off a week ago. Took five men almost three hours and cost more than $300, but was well worth it.

In 47 years of living in Hanover I have never seen a winter like this one. Great for skiers but rough on everyone else.

37 Rayton Road, Hanover, NH03755; (603) 643-4320