The weather has fluctuated throughout the few weeks of winter that have passed. Although the coldest season is just beginning, some days are warmer then others. This is due to warm air coming up from the gulf. Even though it has not snowed yet, some people believe that snow may possibly be on the way.

“I personally don’t believe it will snow, but I do believe it could rain and ice over enough for school to be cancelled because of how many new drivers there are this year,” enunciated Jordan Lowe, a junior at Central High School.

Other students, like Lowe, think that the chance of snow in the future is absurd and unlikely this winter, but if the conditions are right, we should be expecting snow very soon.

“Over the last few weeks, the weather has been unusually warm. This is sometimes referred to as ‘false spring’. However, winter is far from over. I expect we will have plenty of winter weather over the next few months. (The blizzard of 1993 happened in mid-March),” divulged chemistry teacher Wyatt Stracener, who happens to be familiar with meteorology.

With more months of winter to come, snow is possible according to Stracener’s predictions. Temperatures are expected to plummet below freezing this week. Despite all of the current weather tracking technology at meteorologists’ disposal, weather in Chattanooga is notorious for being unpredictable.

“The colder the air, the less moisture it will hold, so if the air is too cold, there won’t be enough moisture to form snow. On the other hand, if the air is too warm, the snow will melt before reaching the ground. The air typically needs to be between -9°C and 5°C (15-41°F) [in order for it to snow],” explained Stracener.

Cool winds can also blow down on the city from the northeast. Both moisture and cold air are needed to make snow, which is why it is so rare.