Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

I know that I haven't written about the weather yet this winter, as last winter was pretty bad and there were seemingly endless updates on snow. What can I say, that was a record setting winter here in Iowa. However, that was then and this is now.

So far this winter, we are ahead of the snow depths that we had in 2007-2008. With almost 20 inches more snow than this time last year, the real record breaker is the cold. Thursday's low of -26 broke the old record from 1888 of -25 and on Friday, we tied the record of -30 set the same year.

It is really hard for me to imagine how Dubuquers were able to handle those temps in 1888. I know that most did, but I can only imagine how hard it was. They didn't have Thinsulate(invented in 1978), fiberglass insulation (first used in 1930's), electric heaters and blankets (1920's). I know that people dressed in wool, fur and down clothing, but it still was a lot harder. Heck, I am willing to bet that most people stayed indoors as much as possible rather than taking a chance of catching pneumonia or getting frostbitten. However, even with all of the advancements of the modern era, it was still pretty hard to deal with.

Now that it is in the 20-30 degree range above zero, it feels like a heatwave

Where are the 'Chicken Littles" Now?

This winter is one for the record books, and not just here in Dubuque. Winter records are being tied and (more often than not) shattered all around the globe and yet it is not being reported on the same level as those reports about Global Warming.

• China reports coldest winter in 100 years;

• Antarctic sea ice is at record levels;

• Snow falls in Middle East;

• Record cold in South America, Australia and Greece to name a few.

While the talking heads of the likes of the Weather Channel's Heidi Cullen and former US Vice President Al Gore are pushing their agenda for Global Warming, they are in the middle of a backpedal because the latest reports show that the earth is actually cooling. These reports are not just hypothetical or even projections, but hard-core readings from the scientific community showing that the earth's recent cooling trend (-.7 degrees) pretty wipes out everything the Global Warming kooks have been able to attribute to greenhouse gasses and man's ultimate demise.

So, what does this mean? The end of Global Warming? A pending Ice Age? Neither and both. I have sided for years with those that espouse the theory that the climate is cyclical and that there is little that man can do to change that. As I was born and raised in the desert Southwestern US, I remember years when we would have floods that were so bad the bridges would wash out and areas of our communities would be cut off by the normally dry washes running bank to bank. I also remember years when it was so dry that the lakes would practically dry up completely.

History shows us, even the casual observer, that the climate cycles. Late 1800's cold, early 1900's warm and dry (remember the Dust Bowl?). Early 1970's cold. Early 2000's hot. Seems to me every 30 years the temps fluctuate from one extreme to the other. I am just a casual observer though, not a scientific scholar.

Then again, there are a lot of us non-scientific types out there that have come up with some pretty ingenious theories that proved to be be remarkable life changers (eg. Christoper Columbus, Thomas Edison) and there are those that are still seen as quacks of the likes of Darwin and Freud. Famous one and all.

The following articles were used in preparation of this post: http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=332289

http://www.dailytech.com/Temperature+Monitors+Report+Worldwide+Global+Cooling/article10866.htm

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080227/D8V2CFRO0.html

...And Then Again (God Has a Sense of Humor)

I should have known that just as soon as I thought of and started writing that last post on Perspective is Everything, God would throw a comment in there for me.

This morning, I prepared for work, listening to the weather radio and taking into account the fact that it was indeed warm - so warm in fact that virtually overnight all of the snow melted - but slated to get colder as the day wore on. I dressed for what I thought was appropriate for today with all the extras for this evening's wind and colder temps. I forgot that God would kindly bring me back to humility.

At midnight, we were at 39°F. Our high today was 41° at 5am. The low so far (as of 10pm is -6°F. However, you must also realize that the wind is howling at a brisk 30MPH gusting to 40MPH which translates to a wind chill of -35° to -45°F. If the National Weather Service models hold out, we could have wind chills between -45° and -50°F tonight.

As far as "perspective" is concerned, that means a shift of 50° (or 100° if you factor in the wind chill). Much more than I was talking about a couple days ago.

All this proves two points for me. One is that God has a pretty interesting sense of humor and, two, this IS Iowa where if you don't like the weather today, stick around because it will be different tomorrow.

Perspective is Everything

Living in the Upper Mississippi River Valley, we have a wide range of weather. Our climate affords us temps that are well below zero in the dead of winter and in the upper 90's in the heat of the summer.

This winter has been a bit on the colder side of our norm and there has been more snow this winter in comparison to the average. Though it is hard for a desert rat like myself to get adjusted and acquainted with, you learn to cope and adjust by wearing the proper amount of layered clothing and the right thicknesses depending on the weather conditions. For me, this can include a pair of sweats, a pair of cotton socks, a pair of thermal socks, jeans, long sleeve shirt, undershirt, second sweat shirt with hood, insulated coveralls, insulated boots, jacket and gloves. I also take with me extra socks, gloves, knit cap and a head sock - the latter of which is probably the best piece of winter gear that I have ever come across. When I leave for work in the morning, I look like the 'Sta-Puff Marshmallow Man' and it is extremly difficult to bend over and tie my boots up. It is a ritual, but a neccessary one.

Each morning, I get out of bed, check the weather and my email and then turn on the weather radio and listen to the National Weather Service report and forecast. Based on that, I determine what layers I dress in and what I can forego. For the past few weeks, I have had to wear all this clothing as we have been below freezing and I work either outside or spend an extraordinary amount of time outside. This morning was not an exception as the temp was only 20°F so hurridly I threw on all my layers. It didn't hit me until I was getting in the car outside that I was a little more toasty than I thought I should have been.

A valuable lesson was learned this morning. I have even joked in recent days that we were going to have a heatwave and that I should break out my shorts, but I never imagined it to be true. What I didn't figure into the equation of what to wear was the difference in temp. Yes, it was only 20°F, but it was 30° warmer than yesterday. Comparing the temp this morning when I left for work to yesterday when I left, we WERE in a heat wave.

I know that my ideal comfort temp is around 70°F - same as most people. If I was to add 30° to that, I would be baking like when I was in Phoenix. Take 30° away from that and I am looking for a little more clothing. This I completely understand, but I just was not ready for the surreal experience I had this morning with temps below freezing and the idea that I would have been comfortable with a long sleeve shirt and pants.

Something else that hit me while I was driving to work is the teperature differential over the course of a year here and in Phoenix. From the coldest low in the winter to the hottest day in the summer, here in Dubuque that is a 115° difference. In Phoenix, it is only a 75° difference.

Now, If I could just convince myself that perspective is everything in the summer.