Regarding predictions for Winter 2012, both the Old Farmer’s Almanac, this country’s homage to Yankee independence from reality; dependence on wooly caterpillars and NOAA are in agreement. Fasten your seat belts it will be a bumpy ride – especially if you live in the northern reaches of New York and New England. The South will continue dry.
When yours truly looked at this week’s weather for western New York hard by Lake Ontario, the view was horrific: Rain all week. Rain mixed with – wait for it – Snow showers toward the end of the week. Something had to be done – a plan executed to cope with these circumstances.
First it seemed reasonable to consult both the old stand by, the Old Farmer’s Almanac and NOAA’s predictions of the wintry future. It came a quite a shock to see that the area of western New York where I reside was included in a region that could expect a “wet, wild winter.” Oh, and we have to watch out for cold air from Canada now stiled “Arctic Oscillation.” It sounds like the inner movements of one of those modern wind-tunnel vacuum cleaners like Dyson. Someday I’m going to find a sky-diving mouse in my Lucite canister.
In reviewing all of the sections in the US on prediction maps for both the Almanac and NOAA, there was a very close relationship. And La Nina will be the mother of all weather this winter. This weather system strikes fear in the hearts of grown men. But you won’t find other countries messing about with worry about these kinds of things. They are philosophic about both the weather and terrorism. So where’s a neurotic, light-starved, unemployed nit to gnash his/her teeth? Why right here.
This is our forum for mutual support and information about matters of weather across the US. Here it will not interfere with major global news developments. Were it to operate in this manner, those of us that are vulnerable to seasonal depression would find little common ground or promise of hope from the other humans on the planet.
So drop by, follow the links to the maps that predict our future course and enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow Americans trying to cope with bad economic forecasts AND bad weather.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20111020_winteroutlook.html
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/weather/2011/08/29/2012-us-winter-forecast/.
ON MY WATCH - the writings of SamHenry 
samhenry
October 24, 2011
Just a reminder that as the sun leaves us fewer hours of light, it will help to take Calcium with vitamin D for our bones. This is not medical advice and check with your doctor before instituting this regime.
samhenry
October 24, 2011
Note to self: Search for reasonably priced light box. If not, then join W.C. Fields in calling it what it is:
DarcsFalcon
October 25, 2011
I used to get the Almanac several years ago. I loved going through it. 🙂
We’re supposed to drop into the hi 40s/ lo 50s in a couple of days. It’s been pretty nice the last several days. Overall, I think this Autumn has been gorgeous, which is a RARE thing around here! Usually Autumn lasts about as long as a sneeze before the Winter sets in.
samhenry
October 25, 2011
The trouble here has been the rain. We have had fairly mild temps but RAIN. We, too, will dive to the 40s by week’s end. Glad that the windy city has been good to you.
Rachel Cranston
December 27, 2011
Whatever happened to the beautiful word RAIN. All we get is showers adnauseum.
samhenry
December 29, 2011
Your are right. Today we deal with fuzzy logic and the attendant vocabulary.