Missing in Action: Winter
I am sitting on my front porch in shirt sleeves typing this. It’s January 5 and it’s 63 degrees in Boston. This is wrong, just wrong.
I know that many of you around the world are also experiencing weather anomalies. To bring us back to winter, let me introduce you to a couple of folks who work a lot in the cold and write about it.
First, check out Tom at Bigblueglobe, who is at remote McMurdo Station in Antarctica, which is built on the Hut Point Peninsula on Ross Island, the farthest south solid ground that is accessible by ship.
Then there’s commercial airline pilot Dave, who writes like a dream and gives you an intimate window on all the amazing and terrifiying moments he experiences in the cockpit at Flight Level 390:
…The sun is cracking the horizon about 900 miles early, because we are late. It will be in our faces until touchdown. It is time to get the sunglasses out and maps clipped to flightdeck visors, giving us a little protection from the solar radiation. More than 1,400 miles before we sleep…
(If you click on the snowperson up there, she’ll change colors for you. Photo from Thinkgeek.com)
January 5th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
I’m in Connecticut, and I know what you mean about the weather. It’s kind of creepy actually. Even I–who was born in Florida and raised in Southern California and who has virtually NO appreciation for snow and ice–know that this is somehow morally wrong, this kind of winter. Now watch! We’ll be like Colorado by the end of next week.
January 5th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
it’s suppose to 70 tomorrow here in New Jersey, kind of crazy. And the summer is suppose to be a killer!
January 5th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Sandi: I don’t like winter either, even though I was raised on the East Coast. It is morally wrong.
Silver: Wow, 70. That is messed up. I grew up in NJ. Where are you?
January 5th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Yes, warm here in Tennessee too. We rode around with the windows down today!
January 5th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Well ladies it’s snowing cows and chickens here in Westcliffe. We have had snow on the ground since before thanksgiving. We’ve been here for the best part of 5 years, I don’t recall weather like this so early. I’ll take it. Maybe will have palm trees growing next year instead of cacti.
Rhea thanks as always for your links. Cute Snowman! Was going to try and build a snowman today since we have plenty of it but to fluffy not enough moisture in it.
January 5th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
It’s in the low 20’s here, with wind. Woke up to what was supposed to be 2 more INCHES of snow, and it was a FOOT. Easy. And drifts. And ice. And slush, all together. Fun times here in Hell, Colorado. ;-(
January 5th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Reah, Me thinks your pouring a little sugar on your global warming. These aren’t just weather anomalies. Species are disappearing. The polar bears are in deep trouble, as well, as the cute movie penguins. Me thinks, your dear Boston will be under water, if we keep the green house gases pumping and then no one will have a pot of beans to… Yourdrum
January 5th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Mushy, Janet, Tug: Thanks for reporting in from parts of the world about the weird weather.
YourDrum: I admit it. I did soft-pedal on the erratic and extreme weather event and did not name them the result of ‘global warming’. But I do sincerely believe these are clear indications of a perhaps irreversible global warming situation.
January 5th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
North Idaho Report….snow and at least a foot since noon….we are in for a hammering AGAIN…..I have been here since 1989 and we have never had a non snow winter; some have been milder with more rain in between snow. In 1992 there was so much snow falling off the roof we could walk up on to it on the berms. We have about 6 feet at the moment……will be at least at 8 by Monday.
January 6th, 2007 at 3:00 am
Our weather is confused here as well. We should be in a sustained foggy period right now but after two days, it cleared. From the point of view of early morning driving, we are very glad, but it feels very strange nonetheless. Thanks for the leads on the two blogs in this post.
January 6th, 2007 at 7:09 am
Great links, I never knew there was such a big community on Antartica. Yes, weird weather indeed, the bulbs are coming up here in north Georgia, I want to push them back in. Not really complaining, though, as I don’t really like cold weather. Have a great weekend!
January 6th, 2007 at 8:26 am
Greetings from warm and wet Norwich, Connecticut where we’re looking at a record-breaking 69 degrees later this afternoon!
I only have one complaint about the lack of cold weather and that’s the fact that it hasn’t gotten cold enough to kill the miserable allergens that make my sinuses scream in pain and my nose alternately run like a stream or be blocked up like there’s a beaver dam in my head!
Other than that, I like the fact that my entire paycheck isn’t going to Norwich Public Utilities to pay to heat my house!
January 6th, 2007 at 9:42 am
I must say that as a newly arrived transplant to New York City (from Atlanta), I am sorely disappointed at my first Yankee winter! I love winter – really. I do much better in cold than in heat and humidity and appreciate the opportunity that the season brings to nest and hibernate and write and read and drink cups of tea. Yes, I can do all of that any time (and do), but, I don’t know, it’s just snugglier in cold weather. Sigh.
And don’t get me started on the disappointment of no white Christmas. (Such a bill o’ goods those old movies sell about snow and Christmas in New York!)
The whole lack of winter is just creepy.
January 6th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Rhea, There probably is irreversible damage. But we still should continue to learn what we can do in our own small way and try to influence gov’t by our votes as to a plan that will help the planet as much as possible, so there isn’t a future of small islands and whatever, other disasters. I hope this doesn’t sound preachy, but there are definitly weather anomalies outside my window.
yourdrum
January 6th, 2007 at 11:05 am
I’m in Michigan and it’s currently 40° and not a speck of snow on the ground. Absolutely unheard of here for this time of year. Normally we have snow from end of Nov through March. On NBC news last night the strange winter weather was a topic, cause El Nino. Whatever the cause it’s making my allergies haywire which are normally at bay in the winter.
January 6th, 2007 at 11:15 am
These weather reports from all over the continent are disturbing. Also, a couple of people mentioned allergies that are dogging them at a time of year when they are usually dormant. Keep the reports coming in!
January 6th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
We, in the Pacific Northwest, are experiencing the polar opposite of the mild winter back east. Uncommonly cool, extremely windy, unseasonal snow, generally unsettled weather. This, too, will pass.
January 6th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
I’m in PA, and experiencing the same thing. We recently rented Al Gore’s movie, and now we’re getting the demo:)
oooo, nifty snowman. I wonder how long it will take me to get all nostalgic about snow?
January 6th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
I’ve never used the words “miss” and “winter” in the same sentence together, until now.
January 6th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
You should talk to Denver and ask when they are releasing the winter snow!
January 6th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Bice, I with you!
January 6th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
I.WANT.SNOW. It was 70 degrees here today.
January 6th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Wait!!!
Come to Colorado if you are missing winter. I am sick and tired of it. And, now a forcast for next weekend, more subfreezing temps and snow. Go away … shoo. Go to the east coast!
http://datingafter50.blogspot.com/
Maggie
January 7th, 2007 at 7:54 am
here from boo7’s page. we have had very unseasonably warm temperatures here in new brunswick, (can) as well. a green christmas (which i don’t mind, but pffft for little kids who got snow toys for xmess). there were thunderstorms here and in northern maine last night as well. in january for heaven’s sake?
i enjoy your page, and shall return. enjoy your warm day
January 7th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Thanks for the b-day wishes, Rhea, We were in the record-breaking snows in New Mexico and now back to the record-breaking mild weather in NYC. Very very weird weather.
January 7th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
On January 14, 1932, it was 70F in NYC. About 40 years later, in the early 70s, they were predicting another ice age. Weather is often strange and quirky. The Polar Bears are being declared an endangered species even though there is not one whit of evidence that their numbers are decreasing or that they are in any way endangered.
Come on, we’re boomers. Don’t you remember that in the sixties we were told that overpopulation would use up the earth’s resources in a few years and millions would starve? In point of fact, food production has gone up every year since 1940 and overpopulation is not the reason for famines in Africa. And who can forget the dire predictions of Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring”? By the way, none of those things happened either. What did happen was that they stopped using DDT (which has proved to be not particularly toxic to humans or primates) to control malaria and within a few short years, deaths from malaria rose nearly 400%. There’s no evidence that she saved any birds but there is evidence that the banning of DDT caused the deaths of tens of thousands of humans, mostly children under five years of age.
Doomsaying and panic are always with us. The strange thing is how life just keeps getting better and better, life expectancies go up steadily and still we are not happy unless we are panicked about something. Or maybe it is some inherent self-loathing that the human race feels, the conviction that homo sapiens sapiens are a blight on the earth and sure to cause its doom.
Now, killer asteroids are more likely to cause the sort of climate change that global warming is expected to and yet killer asteroids are not in the news daily. I can only assume the reason is that people are smart enough to know that science can’t do a thing to protect them against killer asteroids yet and there’s no guilt involved.
January 7th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Can you say unseasonably warm in Ohio? All our weather critters can although it seemed to be returning to cold stuff today — grey & rainy, too.
I just trust that the Big Guy knows what he’s doing & enjoying the mild weather while it lasts! Wonder if we’ll be singin’ “Winter Wonderland in July!!! lolol
January 8th, 2007 at 12:20 am
rain, rain, rain, rain in the Pacific Northwest. Then add wind and a little more rain and it’s just another NW winter.
Even our web feet are starting to stink!
January 8th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Commenting on comments is kind of a fool’s errand, but here goes. Banning DDT was a very good idea, and has proved its worth (no evidence it saved any birds? Who says so?). Banning it hasn’t killed any humans, not a single one. Global warming is a much bigger risk than killer asteroids–no credible scientific opinion exists to the contrary. Overpopulation is the sole reason for African famines (more people than the resources can sustain–that could be one person or fifty million) Tens of thousands of children die in the world every day due to malnutrition. Overpopulation is a major problem worldwide, and it will be solved either by the birth rate solution or death rate solution.
Of course, it ain’t my blog, and I do not intend to start a debate within someone else’s blog.
January 8th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Gerry: Not always a fool’s errand.
January 8th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Isn’t this weather crazy?! It was 73 here on Saturday, now it’s about 48 outside and windy as heck. Just crazy!
May 16th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
This is over 4 months old (I stumbled across it on google)…Im in Michigan and we had no snow in early January either, but by later that month and moreso into February, there was plenty of snow and record, yes I said record, cold (Feb 2007 was one of the coldest on record in the midwest). I must say its a little alarming that so many people think erratic weather patterns that include warmth are because of global warming. I think Andrea said it best in her post (it was 70 in Jan 1932 in NYC). As a weather hobbyist, I have spent the last several years amusing myself with the way everytime we go into a period of abormal warmth, the internet is overloaded with “the sky is falling” reports on global warming…then when we get in abnormal cold, the global warming talk is dropped like a hot potato (excuse the pun) and people merely complain about the cold. Im not trying to sound like a know-it-all, just trying to point out that weather patterns basically have not changed over the last century. In snowy places like Detroit, Boston, or even moreso places like Buffalo, we know that snowfall varies from winter to winter. Some winters are snowy, some are not. The thing is, as far back as records go, it always has. And it always will.