This winter season's snowfall has exceeded the average amount, to date, for the West Lafayette area.
According to Ernest Agee, professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, several causes contribute to this increase.
"The increase in snowfall this year can be attributed to the persistent pattern of the upper level winds with frequent rippling wave disturbances across the region," he said.
In addition, this winter season started much earlier than previous years, causing a quick accumulation of snow, as stated by David Downey, street commissioner of West Lafayette.
"We have definitely gotten more snowfall this year, but because the winter season started much earlier than previous ones, we had precipitation by the beginning of December when we typically don't see much snow until around Christmas," Downey said.
"Although we have not seen as much snow as cities located on the East Coast, there have certainly been some negative effects of it here in the Midwest.
Most of the winter storm systems are not mature until they reach the East Coast, producing more substantial snow events there than as experienced locally. The downfall has been the persistent cold and snow cover on the Purdue campus," Agee said.
No matter how much snow we get, Downey assures that local streets will be plowed.
"We have to deal with the snow no matter what, and public safety will always be the first thing addressed," he said.
Although the constant need for plowing and dispersing salt on West Lafayette streets is affecting the allowance the city has for such exertion, the primary concern of public safety will always be put first.
"We can't jeopardize the safety of the people of West Lafayette. If the snow continues to fall, we will have to cut into other accounts to guarantee that the streets are safe to drive on," Downey said.
According to Downey, the unusual amount of snowfall and irregularly early start of the winter season this year are not any indications of the remainder of the winter season.
"The precipitation and snowfall could stop at any time," he added.
