Tuesday, 7/26

It's Art on the Rocks week. Woo hoo!

Not only is it one of my favorite summer week of the year here in Marquette, if only because I get to be a dork and count license plates, but it's also a chance for people who may not be from the area and/or familiar with a unique weather phenomena to experience said phenomena. Now, this may be something about which I’ve probably written before. If I have, forgive me. If I haven’t; well, here’s the story about an interesting summer meteorological phenomena in Marquette, a phenomena about which most people who aren't from Marquette or who are from Marquette but always stay in their cars may not even be aware--

It’s called “The Third Street Rule”.

Oh, some days it may be called “The Front Street Rule”, or “The Fourth Street Rule”, or “The Pine Street Rule”. Some days, it may not even exist. But most of the time, between the months of May and September, “The Third Street Rule”, well, rules.

Allow me to explain.

When you’re walking through certain parts of Marquette, Lake Superior can throw around its muscle whenever it likes. You can be walking down the street in warm comfort and then--

BANG

The temperature drops 20 degrees and you’re freezing in your sandals.

If you’ve ever walked anywhere on the east side of Marquette, you know what I’m talking about. But the lake’s effect DOES start to wane, especially the farther you get from shore. If you walk away from the lake, you can (usually) be pretty sure that it’ll start to warm up and stay warm once you get past Third Street. The extra shirt you needed on Front Street? You can usually take it off once you’re past Third Street.

Hence, “The Third Street Rule”.

It’s funny; most everyone subconsciously knows about it, yet never actually seems to think about it, much less give it a name. Guess I’m just unique in that manner.

8-)

Check it out for yourself if you're out and about some day soon. You’ll see what I mean!

(jim@wmqt.com)