Curves of bare trees Couple posts back, I wondered about the future of winters in Buffalo. Now a few days later, the advertised transformation has happened. The beautiful clean white winter wonderland has flown down creek beds by the gallon.

While the rain did the winter look in I can think of a positive spin on it. It helped wash the dirt away too and things don't look too bad around here now. The lawns look like in summer, possibly better thanks to the thorough watering.

In the good old winters we have always wondered whether and when Lake Erie would completely freeze. The theory was that if the lake does not fully freeze the cold fronts moving over it will bring intolerable amounts of lake effect snow to Buffalo and Western New York.

Last year, not only did the lake never fully freeze, it actually never even started and stayed wide open. And snow? Nope, nowhere to be found.

This year, we are going to have a second chance at running the theory through a check. Just when the water's temperature was at about 1 degree above freezing, summer visited the area for a few days and raised the temperature to 37°F. It was hard to believe one's eyes when the outside temperature was at 65°F at 10 am.

No snow on grass in January

Yep, this is a Western New York lawn in January (can you guess what's missing?)

Ice Fishing on Lake Erie

Are frozen Lake Erie and ice fishing matters of history?

Let's soak in the warmth and you winter, bring it on! Let's have some fun!

Using some of the photo sharing sites I always enjoy the fact that people post fresh photos from all around the world. As such, one gets a beautiful contrast between warm and cold photos despite being taken the same day, possibly at the same moment. I wanted to create a contrast of my own, even though not shot on the same day.

Below, I am putting the Atlantic Coast of Southern Florida and its Anastasia Limestone rocky beach next to a frozen Lake Erie near Buffalo, NY. Both picture an expansive body of water, both are taken at sunrise.

Buffalo is at 42.9 degrees North, Jupiter Island in Florida is at 27 degrees North.

Have fun no matter what the season or temperature!

Sunrise over Blowing Rocks of Coral Cove Frozen Lake Erie

What comes to most people's minds when they hear Buffalo, NY? I bet most will think of and say snow! But the last few winters were not so convincing. Only one or two winter storms a season and lacking the normal kick. The states southeast of Buffalo along the coast got more snow on quite a few occasions. And the last winter, 2011 - 2012, was almost snow-free in and around Buffalo. The skiing resorts south of Buffalo had to heavily depend on snow making.

Chestnut Ridge Park in Winter

The 2012 - 2013 winter season had a rather late start too with no measurable snow until just before Christmas Day, almost a month late. Then things improved for those who like the white stuff and between one winter storm and regular snowfall nature dressed in the beautiful white clean coat covering the not so appealing grays.

Now here we are on January 8 with a decent blanket of snow around. That's the good part. But the forecast does not look so good. Not only are the daily highs going to be way above freezing, so will the daily lows: Wednesday 40/29, Thursday 36/33, Friday 45/42, Saturday 54/47, Sunday 49/33. And the forecast also calls for some rain to top this off.

This is one example where I hope the weather men got it completely wrong. If the winter is here it might as well be nice and snowy with everything looking pretty. Two to three months of dirty gray does not get me excited.

Have fun with the season while it is here!