High temperatures and low snowfalls have led some to question why Iowa has had such a mild winter this year. Weather experts at Iowa State, however, say this winter’s weather is not unusual and more wintry conditions are soon to come.

William Gutowski, professor of geological and atmospheric sciences, said the warmer weather isn’t anything to be too concerned about.

“Weather can vary one year to the next” Gutowski said. “Don’t compare this year to last year — this year’s weather is normal.”

Gutowski said he feels that the season’s weather should not strike concern or talk of global warming.

“We need to look at the broader context of the global climate and not just in Iowa,” Gutowski said. “Our ability to forecast by seasons is marginal … it’s winter — it will snow.”

For those who are enjoying the warmer weather, they should soak it up while it lasts, said ISUTV’s student meteorologist Nathan Gogo.

“We will see those January-like temperatures come back,” said Gogo, junior in meteorology.

Gogo said he believes the lack of snow may seem unusual because Iowa receives an average of 32 inches of snow a year and so far the state has seen about an inch. Gogo said he encourages people to not worry about the warm weather.

“People should be more fascinated than concerned because we are early in the season,” he said.

The Farmers’ Almanac, a publication that has provided long-range weather predictions since 1818, says that Iowa should be getting snow from late January to mid February. The predictions are for stormy and blizzard-like conditions in January to heavy snowfalls in February.

While some may be unhappy with the news that wintry weather will soon sweep into Iowa, others will welcome it.

“Absolutely, we are affected [by this year’s low snowfall],” said Joel Bryan, general manager of Seven Oaks Recreation. “The lack of snow always hurts us. If people don’t see snow in their backyard, we see it in our attendance.”

Seven Oaks is an outdoor recreation center in Boone that offers snowboarding, skiing and snow tubing in the winter. The facility makes its own snow when the powder is lacking, but the low snowfall this year is still hurting business, Bryan said.

“I’m doing a snow dance every day,” he said.