There are many things that you can say about the snowstorm that hit our area last weekend, but one you can’t is that no one told us it was coming

Reports started to come in more than a week before that the potential existed for a major snow event the weekend of Jan. 24-25. Many of the predictions came from sources that didn’t seem to have much credibility, but some came from the meteorologists across the Tri-State Area who almost always advised that “the conditions are there, but it’s too early to know anything for sure.”

Depending on where you live in the region, it’s likely that you received about a foot of snow, a number that we haven’t seen during one event for the better part of two decades.

Thanks to the accuracy of the predictions, area residents were more than prepared for the storm — from ice-melter to milk and bread, stores throughout the region were able to withstand the rush, with shortages of most items kept to a minimum.

That weather is on the minds of area residents this time of year is not unusual. Traditionally, some of the worst winter weather our region receives comes during the third and fourth weeks in January.

But, thanks to the growing accuracy of long-range weather forecasts and the increasing ease with which we can access that information, it seems those storms are more manageable than they ever have been.

Being able to receive constant alerts from numerous sources 24 hours a day on smart phones and other devices has changed the way we look at the weather and how we make plans for events planned as much as week away or more.

It also allows us more time to be able to take a look at some of the other ways we have traditionally looked at the weather.

One of them happens Monday, when groundhogs from across North America will issue their annual predictions about the likelihood of us experiencing an early spring. The most famous of those lives about 118 miles from here, in Punxsutawney, Pa. With the famous Gobbler’s Knob being just about a two-hour drive away, several area residents make the pilgrimage each year, anxiously waiting for members of the Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle to report Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction.

Admittedly, the accuracy of the prediction is a bit shaky — it’s around 40 percent. But that could also depend on how you look at it. Do the math — spring is set to begin at 10:46 a.m. on March 20, which falls about six weeks after Feb. 2. That means no matter what the groundhog says, there will be about six weeks of winter left.

Another interesting source for long-range weather forecasts is the almanac. And whether you favor the predictions from the Old Farmer’s Almanac or Farmers’ Almanac, their annual forecasts remain among the most eagerly awaited events of the year.

Both of the publications have long track records: Old Farmer’s was founded in 1792, with Farmers’ coming along in 1818, and they each use proprietary formulas that go back hundreds of years to come up with their forecasts.

For this winter, they were in agreement — each of the almanacs said that our region would experience cold and snowy weather during the winter season, which has been true. Neither, however, was able to correctly predict last week’s storm. Old Farmer’s called for sunny and cold weather during the period that ran from Jan. 21 through Jan. 24, with snow and rain predicted Jan. 25 and Jan. 26.

Farmers’, meanwhile, called for clearing skies and cold temperatures during the period of Jan. 20 through Jan. 27.

Looking farther ahead, the books disagree on what we can expect for this summer — Old Farmer’s says our region will be hot and dry this year, while Farmers’ is predicting humid and rainy weather.

For a couple of months, it appeared that this would be the last year you would be able to compare the forecasts of the almanacs.

That’s because Farmers’ Almanac announced in November that the current edition would be its last, and it was shutting down its operations.

That changed Wednesday, when it was announced that Unofficial Networks had acquired the publication.

“An American tradition continues. For more than 200 years, the values and wisdom of the Farmers’ Almanac have been protected and nourished by four publishers,” Peter Geiger, publisher and editor emeritus of the book, explained.

“I am grateful to have found the right next custodian in Tim Konrad. I am confident he will honor its heritage and carry it forward for generations to come.”

Konrad said he and his company are working to preserve the content of the almanac.

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One of the advantages to knowing well in advance that a major storm is headed this way is that there was plenty of time for road crews to prepare to handle the snow. Crews from area communities and counties, along with state crews, deserve to be commended for the work they did before, during and after the storm to make sure the roads were passable.

Theirs is an exhausting and dangerous job, and one that doesn’t always get the praise it deserves.

Also, City Manager Jim Mavromatis during Tuesday’s City Council thanked numerous community businesses for their help during the storm. That list includes the Jefferson Metropolitan Housing Authority, which kept its doors open to offer shelter, as well as Kroger, Gina’s Carry Out Favorites, Sunset Market and Deli, Froehlich’s Classic Corner and Naples Spaghetti House, all of which donated food and supplies.

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While the long-range forecast is still calling for cold weather, it likely won’t be that long until there will be warmer temperatures. And, while that thaw will be appreciated, it certainly will lead to another scourge of our region this time of year — potholes.

And no one will be able to say that they never saw it coming.

(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times)