You can feel it in the air. Until the unseasonably warm September weather we expect in the coming days passes, at least you will feel it in the air. Over the weekend, temperatures will reach the 80s, after which we will cool down.
Every year about this time, the excitement of looking for the final resting place of our snow shovels and windshield scrapers (also known as “where we tossed them last April”) begins to develop.
Okay, that is probably a lie. “Excitement” was simply a more pleasant phrase to use than portraying the entire winter preparation process as a huge hassle.
The only part that isn’t a lie is when we try to remember where we put the snow removal equipment. We realize we’ll need shovels and scrapers this time of year, like it or not.
Sure, the first snowfall in Northern Illinois occurs sooner some years than others, but I couldn’t uncover any examples of anyone having to drag a snowblower around their Rockford driveway in June and July.
According to the National Weather Service, Northern Illinois receives its first snowfall of the season on October 31st (“Shovel the walk, Henry, we’ve got trick-or-treaters!”).
We’ve been as early as September 25th and as late as December 19th, and the typical start date for snowfalls is Halloween—so I’m going to go ahead and say Monday, November 4th, 2024. This date coincides with the day we adjust our clocks back.
I suppose with all the extra energy we’ll have from sleeping an extra hour, we’ll be ready to tackle even the snowiest driveways.
