Winter?

This has been a month for the records. High temperatures have kept most the snow away. We got our first real snow of about 5" last week, which was quickly washed away in the days following with rain. The creek remain high and unfrozen as well. Last week I was able to travel down to Cedar Run on Leetonia road three different days. However, on the last day the temperature dropped from 40 to 32 as I came up and I wished I had not gone that way without chains.
My chains spent a week with UPS as they didn't seem to want to deliver them down a dirt road. Now I have them and feel a lot better if I get stuck in a quick freeze again. Yesterday, we had some weird snow squalls. I was heading north on 287 towards Wellsboro and was met with high winds and blinding snow that accumulated to an inch fast. It lasted for about 5 miles and then was gone as fast as it came and I was back to wet roads only.
Without snow the back roads that aren't winter maintained are extremely unpredictable. It looks good when you start and by the time you realize you are skating on a layer of thin ice it is difficult to stop or turn around. Chains and nerves of steel are a must or best yet go around until we get more snow or it melts completely.
I don't remember a winter like this in the last ten years. I am hoping we are getting a mild winter and not just a late winter. Mountain girl, Paula, logging off.