While less than an inch of snow is forecast in the southern panhandle today, the northern panhandle could see upwards of eight inches. In a scene that has been all too familiar since a sub-zero blizzard dropped as many as 14 inches on the panhandle in mid-December; schools and businesses have closed, road crews are fighting to keep major arteries open, and people are wondering, "When will this finally be over?!?"

Regional snowfall has been above average and temperatures below average this winter, put another way, 2022-2023 has been a hard winter. Most in the panhandle had hoped it was over, which it turns out is not an unreasonable expectation. Statistically speaking, late March usually brings the last measurable snowfall to Nebraska. Last year, March 11th marked the final snow. In 2021 it was February 21st we saw our last measurable snow. In fact it has only snowed after April 4th four times since 2000.

Forecasts for the two weeks ahead have us reaching and even exceeding our average temperatures which would make you comfortable with the idea that this is indeed it for winter, if it weren't for 1944. In 1944 it snowed on May 5th, the latest it has snowed in Nebraska since they began taking records. In 1967 we almost reached the record with a May 3rd snowfall.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Climate and Weather Department has tracked snowfall in Nebraska since 1896 and have published a number of reports showing the average date of the final snowfall has gotten earlier has time has gone on. While the average date in the late 1800's was April 5th, it is now March 26th.

So when you combine these factors; a hard winter, above average temperatures in the forecast and the historical statistics pointing toward an earlier end to winter, will April 4th in fact be our final snowfall of 2023. We took that question to News Channel Nebraska WeatherEye Meteorologist Jennifer Wochisky . 

"There is just no way of knowing that," she said.