While recent years may have left some complacent, Mother Nature took an opportunity over the past week to remind the region what winter in Western Pennsylvania can look like.

Between Saturday night and Sunday, areas across Butler County saw totals of anywhere from 11 to 20 inches of snow. That’s a lot, but historically not at all uncommon for the winter months in this part of the country.

Last weekend’s storm is hardly a 100-year storm — a term used to describe an event that, on average, happens only once per century. As recently as February 2010, Butler County recorded 21 inches of snow in a 24-hour period. It likely doesn’t even qualify as a 10-year storm.

Historically, those in Western Pennsylvania could expect this sort of snowfall about once — sometimes more — in an average year.

Last weekend’s storm and the subsequent cleanup was complicated by being immediately followed by a week’s worth of bitterly cold temperatures, with lows often dipping below zero.

Between the snow and the cold, the progress of efforts to dig out has varied. While the region is far closer to getting where it needs to be than in the immediate aftermath of the storm, there’s still a lot to be done before the snow is no longer a real impediment to normalcy.

Recent years have been kind to the region. Lighter snow fall amounts have usually been followed relatively quickly by temperatures that hastened the melting of any notable accumulations.

That may have made some complacent when it comes to being prepared for this type of weather. Mother Nature has just given us a stark reminder of what winter in the region can bring. We would do well to take it to heart.

— JP