The heavy snowfall actually helps the garters. IF it melts slowly that is.

We had a snowy winter of '08 that beat many different records set in 1902. We had most of the month of DEC at or well below freezing and nearly 2 feet of snow on the ground at one point during that month. Over a foot fell in one day. I have to tell you, it's better to have a foot or more snow cover. It was 13 - 22 degrees for more than 2 weeks. Yet, just 18 inches below that fine powder, the temperature was steady at 32 degrees. Snow makes a great insulator. It goes both ways, it protects snakes brumating below ground. It also takes much more warm weather for longer time, to get them to come out.

This past winter has been very mild and dry. FEB was very dry and above average temperatures. The tulips are blooming about 3 weeks early. I've already seen a garter in late FEB. I'm sure they were out this weekend too but I had to work. It was sunny 66 F.

I guess my point is, it's the ground temperature that matters and the snakes are brumating in a location that is insulated. It's going to take time for them to feel the warmth and emerge.

even in the hard-hit east U.S. surely it can't be more than 6-8 weeks before garters will be out in numbers.