“Winter lies too long in country towns; hangs on until it is stale and shabby, old and sullen.” ~ Willa Cather, My Antonia (Photo by Herman Brinkman)

There’s no denying it. We’ve had more than a few days of bitterly cold weather. But, you can’t say this is the coldest winter ever in Missouri. During the Great Cold Wave of February 1899, two-thirds of the country saw record low temperatures that still stand today. Here in Missouri, Unionville and Mexico hit 25-below zero, Sedalia and Montreal saw 30-below and Birch Tree and Zeitonia hit 32-below zero.

Today’s guest is Pat Guinan, climatologist for University of Missouri Extension’s Commercial Agriculture Program. He says the Show-Me State has seen mild winters for a couple of decades so many Missourians may not remember the bitter winters of the past.

Missouri Climate Center