It is true that winter weather can have some negative effects in the environment, but it is also true that winter has positive—even necessary—effects in the environment.
“Snow affects people everywhere by cooling the Earth, supplying water for a variety of human uses, and sustaining healthy ecosystems, including fish and wildlife populations.”
Reflecting and Absorbing
On a sunny, snow-covered day the sun reflects off the bright white of snow. The heat and light coming from the sun is called radiation. The amount of radiation that is reflected from a material is called albedo, a Latin word meaning white. And what covers the Earth’s surface during winter with a whole lot of white and contains the greatest amount of albedo? That’s right, snow. New snow (the brightest and whitest) on the ground reflects up to 90% of the incoming radiation from the sun. The older and dirtier the snow, the less radiation it reflects.
The albedo is either absorbed by the earth or reflected back into the atmosphere. The more radiation the Earth absorbs, the warmer it becomes. But when snow covers the Earth’s surface, the majority of the albedo is reflected back into the atmosphere instead of being absorbed into the earth, and thus, it keeps the planet cooler.
Water Supply
The more snow that falls the greater the melt when warmer temperatures arrive. This melting snow soon becomes the water that comes out of the faucet, it helps produce the food we eat, and supplies electricity. Melting snow is actually critical as a source of water for agriculture, electricity generation, and other industrial uses.
Agriculture
Winter is a tough time for farmers, but farmers are pretty tough, too. Despite the risk of frost, which can damage both crops and the soil, the farmer uses winter as an opportunity to prepare the land and make plans for the coming year’s crops. They plant cold-resistant crops (i.e., garlic, carrots, spinach, lentils) using protective techniques to help mitigate the cold weather.
Winter time is the recommended time for applying compost or manure to the soil. This helps the soil to maintain its structure and fertility. To protect your winter crop from frost cover it with mesh or plastic or mulch. A light watering at the end of the day, before the temperatures drop to the point of frost, will help to keep the plants from freezing.
Did You Know? If you live in the western U.S., there’s a good chance that you brushed your teeth this morning with water that started out as millions of tiny snowflakes that fell in the mountains during the winter. The eastern U.S. enjoys sufficient year-round precipitation in the form of snow and rain. This provides a reliable source of water. The precipitation seeps through the soil into underground aquifers storing water until it is pumped out when needed.
Snowmelt supplies 75% of the water supply in the western states, and this is important because of the warmer temperatures particularly in the summer months. Melting snow is a slow process that begins in the spring and provides a steady flow of water.
Source: ourwinterworld.org\importance-of-snow
Did You Know? If you thought that winter would wipe out those pesky pests like fleas and ticks, you’ll have to think again. Cold temperatures can kill some, but both fleas and ticks have gotten pretty good at surviving even a really cold, hard winter.
“If we had perpetual summer, we should not value as we do now its bright days and beautiful flowers. Through the winter months we look forward to the time when summer with its beauty will once more gladden the earth.
“So it is with the Christian life. … Our sojourn here is as it were the Christian’s winter. But our faith and hope reach forward and upward … to the home that Christ has gone to prepare for those that love Him.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 18, 138
Source: agronoblog.com/agriculture/winter-and-its-impact-on-agriculture-a-guide-for-the-cold-season