STRANGE WEATHER

A wintry landscape greets the eye wherever one may look, and we’ve had several cold days. Tonight there is a bluish look near the horizon that seems to presage a Chinook. Have had some two inches of snow and frost since Christmas. – Ethel Dobson Robinson, January 1937

So, is this strange weather system a Chinook? Folks don’t seem to talk about Chinooks these days, but my parents did. I regret that I didn’t pay attention. Oh yes, there’s an article on Wikipedia, but it seems complicated. How would I know if the wind is coming off the eastern side of the mountains?

Or, is it a January thaw? According to the Farmer’s Almanac website, a January thaw usually occurs in the last week of January, but as we know, the weather is not bound to rules. Chris wonders if the thaw is early.

There’s also “false spring,” and I had thought of that since our highs and lows are within ten degrees and above freezing. This can be dangerous if fruit trees begin to blossom and then a freeze occurs. I would really love for our fruit trees to blossom and bear this year.

Maybe this is just a lull – a break between cold spells, or perhaps winter is over. As always, we just have to wait and accept what comes with grace. KW