The Community Savings Bank sign in Bethel displays the bitterly cold temperature on a recent day this winter.
By Art Hunter
Editor

It’s been a long, cold and snowy winter, but it could have been worse. In fact, it has been significantly worse – several times, in fact.

For all the misery that the cold has caused, including a terrible pothole problem across the county, there have been many years that have been colder.

According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, the Cincinnati area has seen seven days with sub-zero temperatures this winter.

While we would typically see fewer than half as many days that cold in a winter, we didn’t come close to the record.

In the winter season of 1976-1977, Cincinnati saw a record 21 subzero days, a full three times as many days as we endured this year. There were 17 subzero days the following winter.

In all, Cincinnati has seen 11 colder winters than this one since the winter of 1884-1885.

Similarly, while we have had quite a bit of snow this winter, there have been several recent winters with greater snowfall.

Preliminary snowfall totals for this winter from the National Weather Service indicate that Cincinnati has received 43.6 inches of snow so far this winter. That total makes this the fifth snowiest winter on record.

In fourth place is the 1995-1996 season, which saw 44.6 inches of snow. The winter of 1977-1978 saw the record snowall for Cincinnati, with 53.9 inches.

But of course, winter isn’t over until March 20, so there is time for this season’s totals to rise.