Global Warming, That's Why
Holy Cow, what's with the weather? The warmest year on record, we've been informed. Yes, it was a warm summer, although come to think of it, was it all that unusual? Hotter than usual, just slipped our notice. But summer is past, and we're heading toward winter, officially arriving on the 21st of December, the shortest day of the year, when we welcome the Winter Equinox. Oh, we don't welcome it? We're just stuck with it as a stubborn yearly event?
Because we anticipate welcoming Christmas shortly afterward and it must be white. And then the New Year, yes, of course.
Well, despite our groans about winter weather and impossible conditions for driving safely, and horrible heating bills, and all manner of existential challenges for warm-blooded creatures in a miserable cold Northern Hemisphere atmosphere, winter truly is here. We know, because the landscape has changed so dramatically.
The winds are cruelly whipping snowstorms into a frenzy of white-out conditions making it worth your life to embark on a trip without due consideration whether or not it's worth the effort.
Decidedly, it is not. Worth the effort, that is. Unless you're one of those hardy souls that welcomes adversity. Of the kind that has you stranded in the worst weather-driving conditions you've ever encountered, challenging you to survive the ordeal. Did you remember to pack along in the trunk of your winter-ready vehicle, a shovel, blankets, matches, flares, heavy-duty flashlight, full water bottle, munchies, and your cellphone?
Well, you most certainly should have. You should have paid the bucks it takes to avail yourself of the snowbound and icy road-worthiness of winter ice tires. Surely you did that, at the very least? No? I hate to say 'I told you so', but come on folks. Snow squalls that made visibility impossible and tested your driving abilities, stranded you along with hundreds of other hardy Canadian motorists along highway 402 near Sarnia, Petrolia and Western Lambton County.
No one, believe me, envies your experience. Waiting it out for over 24 hours for rescue. Hungry, thirsty, cold; utterly miserable and sick of being cooped up in your vehicle. And now London, Ontario targeted by that same miserable storm system that just doesn't feel like shoving off. People living in Eastern and Northern Ontario, who think they experience more than enough rough winter weather think of the London area as the Banana Belt. And it kind of is, in the summer.
Come winter, another story. Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, they get plenty of snow too. But this time your area of the province, thanks to the proximity of Lake Huron, and this year's La Nina, or is it El Nino, demonstrated the awesome power of Global Warming.
Because we anticipate welcoming Christmas shortly afterward and it must be white. And then the New Year, yes, of course.
Well, despite our groans about winter weather and impossible conditions for driving safely, and horrible heating bills, and all manner of existential challenges for warm-blooded creatures in a miserable cold Northern Hemisphere atmosphere, winter truly is here. We know, because the landscape has changed so dramatically.
The winds are cruelly whipping snowstorms into a frenzy of white-out conditions making it worth your life to embark on a trip without due consideration whether or not it's worth the effort.
Decidedly, it is not. Worth the effort, that is. Unless you're one of those hardy souls that welcomes adversity. Of the kind that has you stranded in the worst weather-driving conditions you've ever encountered, challenging you to survive the ordeal. Did you remember to pack along in the trunk of your winter-ready vehicle, a shovel, blankets, matches, flares, heavy-duty flashlight, full water bottle, munchies, and your cellphone?
Well, you most certainly should have. You should have paid the bucks it takes to avail yourself of the snowbound and icy road-worthiness of winter ice tires. Surely you did that, at the very least? No? I hate to say 'I told you so', but come on folks. Snow squalls that made visibility impossible and tested your driving abilities, stranded you along with hundreds of other hardy Canadian motorists along highway 402 near Sarnia, Petrolia and Western Lambton County.
No one, believe me, envies your experience. Waiting it out for over 24 hours for rescue. Hungry, thirsty, cold; utterly miserable and sick of being cooped up in your vehicle. And now London, Ontario targeted by that same miserable storm system that just doesn't feel like shoving off. People living in Eastern and Northern Ontario, who think they experience more than enough rough winter weather think of the London area as the Banana Belt. And it kind of is, in the summer.
Tino Villarreal, of Flint, Mich., walks away from a line of trucks after being stranded for almost a day in his cube van delivery truck on London Line, East of Sarnia, Ont., on Tuesday Dec. 14, 2010. Villarreal was given a sleeping bag and blanket by another trucker to keep warm through the night." id="image-2" width="620" height="348"> 
snowmobiler check on stranded motorists on highway 402 near Sarnia, Ont. on Tuesday Dec. 14, 2010, as seen from the vehicule of Colin Stewart, of Tottenham, Ont." id="image-3" width="620" height="348"> 
Sarnia, Ont., on Tuesday Dec. 14, 2010. Hundreds of people have spent a cold night huddled in vehicles awaiting rescue along a snow-clogged stretch of highway in southwestern Ontario." id="image-4" width="620" height="348"> Come winter, another story. Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, they get plenty of snow too. But this time your area of the province, thanks to the proximity of Lake Huron, and this year's La Nina, or is it El Nino, demonstrated the awesome power of Global Warming.
Labels: Environment, Ontario
posted by Pieface | 6:39 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home