Weather and sense of place

What would New England be without winter weather, especially snow? Granted, in some years there is little or no snow. However, snow is a major element in New England's sense of place. Weather is rarely mentioned in written works or talk about sense of place. When it is mentioned, it is usually as climate and in association with the plants and animals of an area. In popular parlance, sense of place is something that can be designed or made; weather cannot be designed.