[quote=@McFazzer]
This might be an odd question, but was Water Release all of a sudden a lot stronger/more used during the long winter? My understanding of water release is more powerful in areas that naturally have water, lakes, rivers, beaches, misty places etc. and since snow is just frozen water... I'm sure my line of logic isn't all that obtuse here :P

I also imagine Fire Release became rather popular for a rather opposite reason
[/quote]

Water release was stronger, probably. But you have to keep in mind that 'the 10 year long winter' wasn't pure snow all day. It was mostly permafrost (i.e. the thing you see in Russia - it's cold but it's not covered in snow year round. The ground is just frozen solid, and nothing will grow.) So for the first year, maybe 2, there would've been snow but after that you have to imagine the type of soil where, if you step on it, your foot doesn't sink in it, and the dirt is basically so frozen that they might as well be rocks.

Fire release didn't become more popular - remember, you don't [i]choose[/i] your chakra nature, lol.