Christmas has come and gone and we are left scrambling for cover under a shroud of snow and extreme cold weather. This stark reminder that Old Man Winter is here to stay and it is not limited to just Canada. Not unusual here, but even the U.S. is being hit hard. Is the worst yet to come?
Bundle up and be safe
Did you get fuzzy colourful reading socks with matching toques? Now’s the time to flaunt your latest Christmas gear. Yeah, you might get a few strange looks, but at least you will be warm. We reached lows of -30C at night which is even a touch cold for us living in Central Alberta. This does not include the wind chill factor!
I have to find my long johns and thermal underwear! Troubling for people who live on the street or have to catch the train and bus. Be prepared and wear the proper outerwear for this weather. Learn to identify frostbite and hypothermia. Deep freeze also means unexpected delays so give yourself extra time.
Global warming or mini Ice Age?
All this talk about climate change due to global warming and the “Greenhouse Effect“. Now we have a potential mini Ice Age that is predicted in a few decades. Is this a small wake-up call? I wish these two extreme events would cancel each other out. The deep freeze could reverse or offset the damage of global warming and sort out our pollution problem. Maybe nor. Scientists have theorized this notion. I imagine how solar activity, sun cycles and supernovas play a part in this climate change. Bleak times ahead unless we reverse the trend.
Winter weather grips the continent
We don’t have a lot of snow, but we did get a blast of frigid misery. A high of 20C today under a sunny sky as I write this article. Worse tomorrow. Even the Northern, Midwest and East U.S. coast were not spared from Old Man Winter. Despite the cold, I can relish the fact that we don’t have it that bad here. Over 65 inches of snow fell in the Pennsylvania area on the East Coast. Not all U.S. cities are braced for the frigid cold and snow since it is unusual. Not talking about the Great Lakes effect either! Time to head to Wegmans to stock up on food, salt and shovels.
As we wrap up the holiday season, record-breaking frigid cold weather has gripped the part of the continent. Bit early and unexpected, but we will endure. Stay warm, be safe and expect delays. This mini Ice Age may foreshadow what is to come down the road. Not very comforting. What are your thoughts about the increasing frequency of extreme climate events?
