Friday, 6/29

So what's it gonna be?

The weather forecasts for this weekend have been all over the place, veering from perfect Jim weather (hot & humid) to horrid Jim weather (cool & rainy). Highs have been estimated from anywhere between 60 and 90, and we may seem some sun. Or thunder & lightning. Or, the way things are going, a snowstorm followed by a plague of locusts.

What's it gonna be?

I was actually looking forward to the next couple of days. Unlike most native Yoopers, I love it when it's hot & humid. It was nice yesterday, so I took a half day. And as I was standing at the end of the Lower Harbor breakwater, staring out at the sailboats cruising around the lake, I actually said something out loud. No one was there to hear it, but it escaped my lips nonetheless.

I looked at the sun sparkling off the lake, the crystal clear blue sky, and the sun basking down upon it all, and uttered “This is why I slog through the winter. For days like this”.

And it's true. I know I complain about the weather a lot, and it seems many other people know I complain about the weather a lot. Every so often I'll get someone asking me why I continue to live here despite my loathing of cold, snow, fog, and rain. My answer is simple. It's two words, those words being “July” and “August”. You could also throw in “late June” and “Early September”, but in reality it's as simple as “July” and “August”. That's why I slog through the cold & snow & wind chills below zero & the not seeing the sun for three months at a time.

For days like yesterday.

Like I said, I have no idea what the weather's gonna be like this weekend. It seems like every forecaster I know and/or follow has a different opinion. I don't envy them one bit; the more I've learned about the science of it, the more I've come to realize that there are days (or weekends) where no matter what they say it's gonna be wrong. Mother Nature does what she wants; sometimes, you can guess what that it, and sometimes, you can't.

So we'll see what comes up this weekend. If it's a nice “Jim” forecast, I'll be out enjoying it. If it isn't...well, I can always think back to what I saw standing at the end of the breakwater yesterday. Hopefully, that'll get me through to the next nice day.

On that note, have yourself a great weekend wherever you are, and however your weather turns out!

(jim@wmqt.com)