I acknowledge people in the upper Midwest do obsess a bit about the weather. Not like people, in say San Diego, where the weather is downright boring - and perpetually pleasant. Here the saying is that if you don't like the weather today stick around, it is sure to change by tomorrow.
However, we now live in a time of weather extremes. Not just here but in many places in the country. (Pay attention San Diego folks - you may develop a new interest in weather). Something like 15,000+ new weather records set across the country in recent months. It is a scary statistic to consider. Since one result of changes in climate is for weather extremes to become more common.
Here, we have been suffering from drought - in this state where water is so abundant. Deluges last July were replaced in August with months of no noticeable precipitation. Not even snow in the winter, something we have considered one of the dependable things in life - like birth, death, and taxes.
This May, it began seriously raining. By the bucketfuls. In a month, we have moved from drought conditions to flooding possibilities. Creating temporary road closures, because we are not like Tucson, which does not have our elaborate drainage system to send excessive water to places such as rivers, where the overflow can be handled. After all, it does not rain often in Tucson! I can personally attest to a cloud burst in Tucson being an interesting experience!
And these heavy rains here have caused flooded basements. Last August 3/4 of our suburban community had water in their basements - and we live in a sand plain that filters water quickly into the lower reaches. (we were spared). At the rate we are going lately, since underpasses often flood in deluges, street maps will need to mark underpasses. So we can find alternate routes to return home when it rains.
One weather prognosticator has suggested that with warmer temperatures we can expected tropical monsoon rains more frequently. Something about the warmer stratosphere and rain formation - you figure it out.
I always have enjoyed being in the tropics! And with warmer temperatures the planting zones are inching upwards. That lovely Japanese maple, hardy only to Zone 5 that I have lusted after for years, may become a reality in my garden . . .
Nature has its own way of telling us that we have been neglectful and abusive. Floods and droughts are caused by imbalance in nature, which is actually the result of what we have done. Places that have never experienced any flooding way back are being affected by it today. That’s a strong reminder that we have to help Mother Earth while we still can. It’s now or never.
ReplyDelete