During my youth (ages ago), winter rain was characterized by light, cold showers, often mixed with snow. Any liquid that reached the ground would usually leave a glaze of ice until the weak, winter sun could melt it away.
Now, as our climate warms, spring-like rains, often accompanied by scattered thunderstorms, have become much more common during the winter months. Indeed, yesterday morning, a storm system centered over western Kansas swept Gulf of Mexico moisture northward across the Heartland, fueling thunderstorms that dropped torrential rain on central Missouri. Morning temperatures were in the mid 50s F, reaching the low 60's by early afternoon.
Though I enjoy periods of snow during the winter, cold rain and glazed surfaces have never been among my favorite winter features. I thus must admit that spring-like storm systems, when devoid of destructive winds, are personally preferred while acknowledging that global warming will bring far greater challenges than icy sidewalks.
