Winter weather impacts Rockford local’s spring optimism

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Some Rockford residents don’t mind the colder temperatures, but this unpredictable weather across Northern Illinois frustrates others to the point where it impacts their mental health.

Marcos Lara works with Lara’s Lawncare. He says it’s stressful cleaning his truck up for spring before a snowstorm suddenly returns to the area.

“I definitely would like to go and have some free time, you know, but it is what it is, you know, we got to keep the roads clear for everyone and it’s a job that got to get done.”

Marcos says after the snow falls he is physically drained from working 17 straight hours to clear it.

“You’re not really worried about the smaller stuff. I just kind of want to get done, get these roads cleared, so I can go home and get some sleep.”

But it’s not just snowplow drivers who are done with the snow. One Rockford resident says she can’t wait for spring to officially start.

“I feel like winter just had its chanson it’s march now it’s after spring like I’m over the winter in the snow,” says Alana Hodyniak. “It’s like it’s 50 degrees one day and then I wash my car and the next day I have to clean three to five inches of snow off of it.”

“I have an expectation and then it’s not being fulfilled. Even if it’s going to be gone 12 hours after the snow accumulates or something like that, there’s still this idea of, here we go again,” says Kevin Polky.

Mental health expert Kevin Polky says since we can’t control the weather, there are things we can do to stay optimistic for spring.

“What we can control is what am I going to wear? How is my outlook toward it? Is spring ever going to come? The answer would be yes. We’re starting to see some buds coming up so it’s coming, it just may not be this weekend.”

Alana adds this winter weather impacts her ability to travel to Chicago with friends and family.

There is a winter storm warning in effect in Winnebago County between 4 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday with 5-8 inches of slushy snow expected to fall.

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