Following this recent Arctic blast, it’s hard to believe that last Sunday saw our temperatures “soar” into the 40s and lawns and fields looked more like springtime green than winter brown. But that pretty much typifies our weather at this time of the year. If you don't like it, just wait and it will change ...and often very abruptly. We can go from a light sweater and sneakers one day, to an insulated parka and mukluks the next, and sometimes even on the same day.
Every year there are some who fret about whether or not we'll have a white Christmas. If we don't – and that only happens somewhere in the 37 percent range – then you'd think the entire holiday was ruined. However, by the month of March many of these same people are whining about the cold and snow, and wishing springtime conditions would magically and suddenly appear on the Spring Equinox. About the only groups that wish some of our fickled winters would last longer are the snowmobilers, skiers and avid ice fishermen, and maybe those who supplement their income by plowing driveways.
The cold hard fact is we live in a four-season region. Of course in some years it may seem like only two seasons, those being summer and winter, when we may get an exceptionally short spring and/or fall, or when we don't get much of a summer season, like occurred this year. But at least our weather patterns are seldom boring, and they often generate some interesting views and conversations. It's no accident that the Weather Channel's popularity is so substantial. After all, when normal conversation lulls, what do people usually discuss? The weather.
For those of us who enjoy recreating outdoors, changes in the weather are a part of life. Weather-wise, we get what we get, and we adapt accordingly. If it's cold, we layer up for warmth. If its wet, we don raingear. If we choose to wait for just the “perfect conditions,” we might have to spend an entire season indoors. Looking back over 2009, the weather certainly impacted more than usual how we approached outdoor activities.
Last winter in our area started with an autumnal growl, by a major snowstorm slamming us in mid October, but then it fizzled out throughout the rest of the season with no major blizzards or extended sub-zero periods. Considering our average seasonal snowfall is 69 inches (the average US city gets 25 inches per year), last winter wasn't much of a delight to snow worshippers. And despite some initial worries, there was plenty of ice for the Lions Club's Almost Annual Perch Derby at Chenango Lake and the Crappie Derby at Whitney Point Lake.
Normally, the number of days with any measurable precipitation in our area is 144, and much of that often falls in the spring and fall seasons, but the spring 2009 season proved to be an exception. In fact, the weather the second half of April was almost summer-like with abnormally high temperatures and abundant sunshine, much to the delight of anglers and golfers, most of whom had suffered through several past years of rather “un-spring-like” weather patterns topped by the April Blizzard of 2008 and the flood of 2006.
Quite elated by the nice springtime weather, I'm sure all of us eagerly awaited more of the same when the month of May arrived. But then when “Flower Month” arrived, it certainly was no bed of roses. In fact, the rain and dark clouds we normally get in April had apparently been holding back and then decided to arrive a full month later than usual. Although it didn't rain every day for the entire month, we seldom dared venture outdoors without the insurance of a rain jacket or umbrella which, more often than not, came into use. Some May gobbler hunters joked about shooting turkeys that had grown webbed feet.
But for many of us, we knew nothing lasts forever, and that includes bad weather, so we just knew better days were coming when June and the Summer Equinox arrived. How wrong we were. If I recall correctly, this past summer was the third coolest on record and one of the wettest. Because of the abnormal conditions, most vegetable gardeners saw their crop of tomatoes wiped out by blight while many of those who rushed to get their potatoes in early had to replant as the initial seed spuds rotted in the wet, cool ground. Oh, did I mention the grass? It thrived, requiring a frequency of mowing more reminiscent of early May and that continued well into fall.
Farmers struggled to get their field corn crop in as the ground remained soggy and heavy farm machinery often mired in the muckier sections of fields. Grass fields thrived but the incessant rains made cutting and harvesting what could be a bumper crop almost a weekly challenge. Once again, anglers, boaters, campers and hikers had to plan for bad weather on almost every outing. Oh well, maybe the autumn would bring better weather.
It had been a couple years since our region had enjoyed a more typical fall season, with leaves ablaze with color and crisp, clear days. Okay, so we got the beautiful fall foliage but not many of those bright, bluebird days to go with it. The peak foliage lasted about a week before heavy rain and gusting winds swept it off the trees, leaving us with drab gray early winter type viewing. Deer hunters failed to have the storied “tracking snow” for much of their season, due to moderate temperatures, but it ended with frigid snowy conditions.
What will this coming winter be like? Your guess is as good as mine. But judging from the past year, plus an approaching nor'easter, I'd bet it won't be that “normal.” Happy New Year.