Winter Storm Toby

Last Wednesday we got our fourth nor'easter—in March alone. Winter Storm Toby (I don't know how I feel about naming every single storm) was predicted to bring up to 18 inches of snow to parts of the Northeast, but in Central Park the official total ended up at 8.2 inches. This was the first time since 1992 that at least 6 inches fell in late March or April, although January's "bomb cyclone" snow total was higher at 9.8 inches and I didn't hear any thundersnow like we had during the last nor'easter.

I'm definitely ready for spring, but I still love snow and will take it whenever I can get it. I stayed inside for the actual storm, but I was looking forward to a snowy commute through the park on Thursday morning. I decided to take a different, less direct route to hit some of my favorite spots, so I took the train to 72nd Street and started my walk from there.

I walked to the Literary Walk and Bethesda Terrace first—two of my very favorite places in not just the park, but the world—and then walked northeast through the Ramble. The North Woods is one of the best places to be after a snowfall, but the Ramble turned out to be just as magical. Sometimes Central Park can feel frustratingly crowded, but in the mornings it's peaceful—mostly just people walking their dogs or watching birds.

I was grumpy when my alarm went off an hour and a half earlier than normal, but it was impossible to hold on to that rage as I was walking through snowy paths that had me wondering if I had actually entered the park from the inside of a wardrobe. By the time I went outside again at lunchtime, the snow had mostly all melted and despite the chilly temps, spring is defiantly starting to make an appearance.