Area hit with severe weather
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By Jeff Snyder
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — While much of the nation braced for a dangerous winter storm, Ringgold County and surrounding areas dealt with their own weather challenges as a part of the far reaching weather.
As many as 200 million people were impacted by a major winter weather event that started in the southwestern United States and made its way across the country gathering steam and anxiety along the way. While the upper Midwest was largely spared the precipitation that went along with this monster storm, the ill effects were nonetheless felt in the form of dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills as well as heavy snow south of the Iowa border.
Temperatures on Friday evening dipped to seven below zero with 20 below wind chills. High temperatures hovered in the mid-single digits for most of the weekend bringing most outdoor planned events to a standstill and Monday’s weather did little to alleviate the frigid conditions.
Area hardware stores noted increased sales of winterizing materials such as pipe wrap insulation, antifreeze for farming equipment and various caulking and window sealing kits.
While Iowa is no stranger to harsh winter conditions residents are keenly aware of the longer term effects of a harsh winter. Livestock farmers and ranchers have to take extra precautions to safeguard their herds and flocks. Water sources have to be kept flowing by heating the source and fresh bedding and feed need to be constantly watched as cold weather affects the livestock metabolism.
Longer term outlooks focus on snowfall rates and rain as drought often starts with severe winter weather. Lack of snowpack has a damaging effect on ground soil moisture content which oftentimes impacts the coming growing season.
Farmers and ranchers are well aware of the challenges that winter brings but they are also acutely aware that there is nothing they can do about the weather. Typically three to five inches of snowfall would have been experienced by this point in January in Ringgold County, but to date actual totals are significantly less.
Spring is a long time coming in Iowa and the farmers and ranchers know this all too well. February and March are often the great equalizer bringing slow starts up to pace. In the meantime, residents of Ringgold County have to hunker down and hope that the groundhog in Pennsylvania brings good news on February 2. Keep your fingers crossed that Phil casts no shadow next week thereby predicting an early spring.
