Winter Misery Index: A moderate winter

It is said there really is no bad weather, just different kinds of good weather. It's certainly true that one person's weather trash is another's treasure.

When I talk with Minnesotans about winter, I hear several different threads. Most of us love and appreciate winter, but also enjoy our amazing four-season climate. Some of us live here because of winter. Some of us hate subzero cold, but love the snow. Some don't mind the cold, but could do without snowy commutes and ice underfoot.

So measuring winter severity can be subjective enterprise. But there are a few metrics of winter severity.

Cue the Winter Misery Index. (WMI)

The Winter Misery Index (WMI) is an attempt to weigh the relative severity of winter when compared with winters of the past. The WMI assigns single points for daily counts of maximum temperatures 10 degrees F or colder, and daily minimums of 0 degrees F or colder.

If the minimum temperature drops to -20 degrees or colder greater, eight points are attributed to that day. Snowfall totals of one inch or greater in a day receive one point.

Four-inch snowfalls generate four points for the day, an eight-inch snowfall receives a whopping 16 points. To quantify the duration of winter, one point is tallied for every day with a snow depth of 12 inches or greater.

A 'moderate' winter

The latest updated WMI tally for the Twin Cities is 63 points. That falls toward the milder end of the moderate category. It's interesting to note that 6 of the past 7 winters have fallen into the "mild" or "low end moderate" category. In the past seven years, only the winter of 2014-14 has been "severe."

Here's more granular detail from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources State Climatology Office:

As of February 5, 2018 the WMI for the 2017-18 winter is at 63 points: 36 points for cold, 27 points for snow. The 12.4 inches of snowfall on January 22 made up for lost ground. As of February 5 the winter of 17-18 has 30.0 inches of snow so far, 5.2 inches below normal.

The WMI for the winter of 2016-17 finished with 49 points, enough for 2016-17 to be categorized as a "mild" winter. The total WMI points for the 2016-2017 winter were 23 for cold and 26 for snow: 47 points.

The WMI for the winter of 2013-14 in Twin Cities was 207 points, or in the high end of the "severe winter" category.  This was the 9th most severe winter on record based on WMI points. The lowest WMI score was the winter of 2011-2012 with 16 points. The most severe winter is 1916-1917 with 305 WMI points.

Note, this could also be called the "Winter Fun Index" depending on your perspective!

The Midwestern Regional Climate Center offers an objective winter severity index called the Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI). The index quantifies relative winter severity for a number locations around the United States.

Cold for now

Temperatures hover above and below the zero mark in most of Minnesota again this week. Tuesday morning will be the 22nd at or below zero this winter season. That's close to the annual average of 23 days.

Milder next week

Temperatures still look potentially much milder starting next week.

Stay warm Minnesota.