Winter Slowly Progressing

The beginning of this winter season has been defined by persistent stretches of below average temperatures and snowfall.  Although it has been colder than normal, temperatures have not approached record lows and only have been in the single digits a couple of nights.  After a brief warmup today temperatures are going back below normal for the remainder of the week.  Wood frog (Rana sylvatica) emergence is only a little over a month away with Ambystoma salamanders arriving at pools with the first warmer rains of February.