The winter severity index for the International Falls area is at 113 on Wednesday, reports Larry Petersen, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources area wildlife supervisor.

The WSI:

75 – last year
36 – two years ago
113 – average for the date
189 – during harshest winter Borderland in the mid-1990s

The snow depth ranges from 10 to 15 inches in the International Falls vicinity, reports Petersen. “On average we have about 10 inches by this date,” he said.

The winter severity index is a standardized number resource managers when considering impacts of the winter on deer. It is calculated using temperature and snow depth in the period from Nov. 1 through April 30 or whenever winter ends. Every day the daily low temperature is zero or below is one point, and every day the snow depth is 15 inches or deeper in an open aspen woods is one point. The points are added each week until winter ends.

All the winter severity data dates from 1966 to present.