Just when we thought we were going to have to build an ark 300 cubits high, temperatures dropped and we traded our umbrellas for snow shovels. Missourians kicked off 2016 with flooded basements one week and scraping the ice off their windshields the next. Most will agree the hot and cold are both intense, and Missouri’s weather just doesn’t make sense.

From spending Christmas morning outdoors, to paddling your way home or wearing three layers of clothes, this hectic weather has people in Missouri puzzled.

“Sunny one day, rainy the next and snowing the next week…that’s just Missouri for you. We have all four seasons in one week. It’s hard to plan anything in advance too because the changes are so drastic,” said junior Amber Wamhoff.

Reasons for Mother Nature acting so bipolar this year? Scientists have said that El Niño could be contributing to some of the warmer weather. El Niño is the name given to the changes in wind patterns across the Pacific Ocean. These variations cause unusual warming in temperatures in the ocean which creates numerous drastic weather changes throughout specific regions of the United States.

Although many enjoyed the warm weather and spending their winter outdoors, the nice climate did not last. On Saturday, December 26, the “Great Flood” began. Basements, roads and fields were underwater as the rain continuously poured for three days. With the never-ending rain as the talk around town, a scene from Forrest Gump comes to mind.

“One day it started raining, and it didn’t quit for four months. We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin’ rain…and big ol’ fat rain. Rain that flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath. Shoot, it even rained at night,” said Forrest Gump.

Although it didn’t pour for four months here, students from the St. Dominic community were prepared for the torrential rainfall.

“The excess water from the lake next to our house flows into our creek that goes under our driveway. When the creek backed up, the water kept rising until it covered our driveway completely. Our house itself was never damaged but we just couldn’t get to it. We knew it was going to flood over our driveway so we all packed clothes and went to different places. It took around three to four days for us to finally be able to get our house,” said junior Andrew Keeteman.

The rain finally came to a stop and the wintry weather kicked in. In January, temperatures dropped below 20 degrees and Missourians began preparing for snow. The Snow Miser finally woke up and gifted St. Dominic with its first snow day of the year. With Missouri’s crazy and unpredictable weather patterns, who’s to say we won’t be spending next weekend lying out by the pool?