Strange weather times in northeast North Dakota as Christmas plays out for 2016. It’s not at all unusual for us to have snow (and lots of it) this time of year, although 2 years ago, it was fair enough outside to be taking a walk in the historic neighborhood without a jacket.
We cross country skied on Christmas Eve, but there’s none of that to be had tonight.

All up and down the Midwest and Northern Plains, the weather radar through the day has shown heavy snow to the west and southwest, rain and thunderstorms to our south and east, with our position right along a seam of freezing rain. We’ve been in and out of heavy snow forecasts for the last two days- we’ll get some of that, but mostly what we are seeing is highly unstable, very powerful precipitation system seemingly stuck somewhere outside of a particular season.

Recently reading about the history of the Mandan tribes over the last 700 years, it was evident how weather played large roles in the in the stories of gains and losses. Maybe we’ll look back many years from now to this Christmas Day and see it as a harbinger of what’s come to be known as climate change. For tonight, the icy edge of the front slices through me as I am imagining my view of all from the sky, the soul-stirring force on the prairie it’s always been.