After last years winter of big snowfalls folks have been asking many questions about the 2008-09 season. Their main concern is about snow and if they need to stock up early on sidewalk salt and re-invest in another snow thrower. The last winter season saw 99.1 inches at Mitchell International Airport, with more in some locations. Can we possibly expect a repeat performance over the next few months?

Actually there is no real snow pattern that follows a major snow season in Milwaukee. If you look at the three years since records have been kept that had snow season totals over ninety inches, two of the following season had well below average snowfall and the other had above average snowfall. However, while the snow season that followed the 109 inches that hit Milwaukee in 1885-86 was well above average, it only totaled 74 inches, paling in comparison to the prior year. The snow season following the ninety plus inches in 1897-98 was only 36 inches, while the season after the 93 inches recorded in 1959-60 was only 32.9 inches.

Only one of the top ten greatest snow seasons in Milwaukee was followed by another and even greater snow season. The winter of 1977-78 experienced 80.7 inches of snow followed by the winter of 1978-79 with 82.9 inches of seasonal snow!