I don't remember having Snow Days when I was in school! We walked on top of snowbanks higher than houses to get to school! OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit but it's true we did not have snow days. Still I don't begrudge the kids their snow days off! It's just that I don't think the weather has changed as much as the terms they use to describe them which makes them seem more ominous.
For example, we have just experienced our first Polar Vortex. This means it's cold with wind chills well below zero. We never used to have "wind chill temps" when we were growing up either but still. Back in the day we called this a "cold snap". And even when my kids were growing up, they didn't have a Polar Vortex day off!
Don't get me wrong, I realize the danger of walking to school in below zero weather. And I realize that the meteorologists have learned a lot more about the weather to now include wind chill temps. But Polar Vortex? Really?
Now today we are experiencing our first "Thunder Snow"! That is not a typo. A thunder snow is a snowstorm with snow coming down so hard ( 2" per hour ) that it feels like rain. A thunder snow also brings along with it...thunder! Yes, we heard thunder while the snow poured down. Now this is weather I don't remember having growing up. Where did THIS come from?
OK Thanks for letting me vent about the weather! I'm over it now. I AM grateful for the beauty of it. But these photos were taken before the BIG THUNDER SNOW dumped about 10 more inches. Just sayin...
I first experienced thunder snow in early 1977. Didn't see it again till last year and again this year. It's fascinating to me. I'm so sick of the snow and cold. We have more snow coming next week.
ReplyDeleteinteresting description. Here in the northwest we have lots of snow but never thundersnow. I agree, when I was growing up we had drifts of snow one night and when we got up they were over our heads in our yard...but we still had school but recessed in the gym. just saying ha
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