Winter snow storms in 1800s Nebraska

One of my very dear friends posted a photo of a car buried in snow with a remark asking for 6 feet of snow this winter. With the same joviality, I answered that would be fine, 3 inches at a time. Not everyone found either funny of course, but after all, the wooly caterpillars are boasting a fine coat this year and they are at least as reliable as the weatherman.

I don’t know about other states, but Nebraska is notorious for having unpredictable weather. Even “Arthur” isn’t a good predictor. As a child growing up on the Republican River, I can remember snow storms that had us walking the railroad tracks to get into town. Absolutely a bad idea, but the snow was up over the fences and getting the car out was impossible. I can also remember a Christmas where I was outside in shorts and no shoes.

In the McCook Tribune, November 30, 1894 came this warning: “It may be the wisest thing to prepare for a cold and snappy winter. If the predictions of the prophets are to be relied upon that’s what we are going to have. But it is well to bear in mind that these dire prophesies have gone astray in the past and where cold has been foretold it has been hot enough to make heavy underwear hug your back. If the rural signs are to be relied upon we may expect an old-fashioned visitation of cold waves and blizzards. The buck’s pelts are gray, the partridges have ceased drumming and the chipmunks, and the moles are hunting their holes. Thick corn husks, noisy katydids, busy bees and prophetic goose bones join in the testimony recording the verdict of the sages of the fields and backwoods.”

Apparently, Christmas was white in 1894, just not in southwest Nebraska: “Xmas was accentuated by very severe storms east and south, characterized by heavy snowfall and extreme cold. In some localities the storm approached the dignity of a full-fledged, blown-in-the-bottle, western blizzard, with attendant loss of life, damage and delay. Locally the thermometer reached 6 or 8 below zero, with a keen, penetrating, northwest wind, but little snow. Plants and water service pipes suffered severely, and the plumber’s cup of joy bubbled over.” McCook Tribune, 1/04/1895 (I have rarely seen Christmas printed as Xmas in the old papers.)

October 29, 1896 fulfilled that early prediction: “An unusually severe and heavy snow storm prevailed over Western Nebraska, Wednesday night, Thursday and Thursday night. Perhaps 10 inches of snow fell, but the high wind drifted it so badly as to make navigation difficult indeed. Fortunately, the thermometer did not fall much below freezing.” McCook Tribune, October 30, 1896 This particular snow storm, even though blizzard-like, was probably welcomed since the area had been trying to recover from a severe drought!

Not being a wooly caterpillar or a weatherman, I probably will just do what I try to remember to do: Find the snow shovels and start the snow blower. Those two things seem to be the best predictor of winter for me. If I do them, it usually doesn’t snow!

Winter is a good time for genealogy. SWNGS is in the early stages of planning some beginning classes on genealogy that will be small enough for you to get one on one help. I’ll post dates as soon as available. In the meantime, visit our library on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-4, 110 West C Street, Suite M-3. Our monthly meeting is this Saturday at 1 PM.