Snowfalls Are Just A Thing Of The Past: Tell That To Little Susie in Rapid City, SD

Headline, March 20, 2000, The (London) Independent: Snowfalls Are A Thing of the Past:

Britain's winter ends tomorrow with further indications of a striking environmental change: snow is starting to disappear from our lives.

Sledges, snowmen, snowballs and the excitement of waking to find that the stuff has settled outside are all a rapidly diminishing part of Britain's culture, as warmer winters - which scientists are attributing to global climate change - produce not only fewer white Christmases, but fewer white Januaries and Februaries.

Maybe fewer white Christmases (am I allowed to say "white" and not be accused of being politically incorrect), and fewer white Januaries and Februaries, but it appears global warming is bringing us colder Aprils and snowier springs.

The IceAgeNow is reporting that since records began, there has never been more snow in Rapid City:

“And records began in 1888!” says reader Ralph Fato. “Plus, it was done in 2 weeks!”

RECORD SNOWFALL OF 34.1 INCHES FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL WAS SET AT RAPID CITY SOUTH DAKOTA TODAY THROUGH 600 PM MDT.

THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 30.6 INCHES SET IN 1970.

I believe Patrick Kennedy (or one of the Kennedy family) said the same thing: he was afraid children will never see snow again. Not to worry. Mr Kennedy: put those kids on your private jet and fly them out to Rapid City. If the runway is clear.

[By the way, and this is a huge digression, but the comments are always fun to read. At the yelp site pondering whether "white Christmas" is racist, some astute wag asked the question: why are green olives in glass bottles for all to see, but black olives are hidden away in cans? I can't make this stuff up.]