Since I have nothing to write about , I will give you the weather report. I don't need to say that it's winter here and it can get very severe.
Our recent weather has been on the cold side. Today our high was minus 15 C and there was some wind. It was clear and sunny. I don't know what the wind chill would have been but it made for an uncomfortable day.
So these are typical winter days. We can get cold spells which are much colder than today. When a cold spell sets in it can last from a few days to several weeks.
And oh yes, the days are getting longer. On Winter solstice we had 7 hours and 14 minutes of sun. Today we had 7 hours and 53 minutes of sun. Today got longer by one minute and 14 seconds.
My interest in weather goes back a long way. As I've said many times, as a child I played outdoors summer and winter. I went to the Arctic in the 60's and you had to be aware of the weather. There was a weather station where I lived and I got to know some of the weather people and talked about weather very often. There were no roads so traffic was by air. Weather was extremely important.
When I was in the eastern arctic, we were asked for weather reports many times. I had a radio at my house and was contacted when they were planning a flight. There were weather hazards that pilots had to watch for.
The only time I had a bad flight was because of weather. The airplane began to ice up. This was the end of September. As more ice built up the airplane became heavier and more power was given. I would have landed on a small lake before getting to our destination. The pilot wanted to get to the settlement. It was a bad landing. The pilot pulled the throttle back and the airplane sank like a rock. He quickly pulled the throttle back and we made a very rough landing. We more or les just plopped heavily into the water.
So I find weather interesting and it is important.
Happy New Year Red! I agree that weather is extremely important when you live in the north country, especially the very far north where you lived. I was looking at the temperatures all across the Yukon, NWT and Nunavut the other day and wow, the temperatures were very frigid. Here it was a mild 4 degrees. I thought it was warm but my DH finds it cold. Some people get very cold in the damp air.
ReplyDeleteInuvik was minus 41 C this week. You're right high humidity makes things feel colder.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteThe bumpy landings are spooky. I do not think I could stand cold winters with minus temperatures. It is 18 degrees here this morning, we are expecting snow overnight and a very cold week ahead. I wish it was Spring. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.
People get used to conditions. We have many African immigrants and they do well here.
DeleteYou've caused me to remember taking one class on a field trip to the weather station in Sarnia. There was also a students whose grandfather had a Stenson Screen, so I walked a few classes up there. I handled and read the data from some instruments in another Stevenson Scree once.
ReplyDeleteKids loved field trips. How much they learned , I'm not sure.
DeleteWe have the same issues. We watch the weather, mostly due to traveling. Plus, it takes me over an hour to do the driveway and sidewalk. At our age, you want ambulances to be able to access the house, too! 🫣
ReplyDeleteHey, you just had a birthday so I remember how old you are. You're still a young thing!
DeleteWeather, and knowing about it, is so important for those who have to operate at all times. Living in the Arctic must have given you a very different perspective on life. That plane landing sounds fearsome.
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head about having a different perspective on life from living in the Arctic. The Inuit had a different culture and the white guys were living in a completely different environment. I learned to trust the Inuit.
DeleteYou have had so many amazing adventures, Red. I would never attempt many of the things you have done. Glad you are still with us to share these stories!
ReplyDeleteMany things I should not have attempted as they were far too risky. It was very different for females.
DeleteYikes! That sounds like it was a dangerous flight, but everything turned out alright in the end. Whew!
ReplyDeleteI learned about airplanes icing up on that trip.
DeleteWhew! That sounded scary! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteWe could watch the ice form and thicken on the wings. The guy should have landed on a small lake and stayed over night.
DeleteUgh -- I imagine that airplane landing was pretty scary. It's encouraging to think that you're already getting 40 minutes more sunlight every day, just a few weeks past the solstice.
ReplyDeleteThe landing was almost a drop. It was only luck that saved us.
DeleteHoly cow. That would have been terrifying!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou just had to hang on tight and hope for the best.
Delete“Since I have nothing to write about …” So, Red, are you saying there is nothing on the list on your refrigerator? 😊 (That question comes from years ago when you told us you kept a list of Hiawatha House topics on the frig.) OK, thanks for the weather report. I would like to hear more about your experience, in the eastern arctic, with that radio giving reports to pilots. Thanks for the interesting post. John
ReplyDeleteI don't remember a refrigerator list but it sounds like a good idea. Yes I could write about the Eastern arctic as it is very different.
DeleteI would have been very nervous if I was on that plane.
ReplyDeleteFunny thing is you just hang on and wait until it's over. It's quite a relief when you're still above water.
DeleteIn Ontario cottage country they got 100-120 cm of snow this week-Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThat's far too much snow for me.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt's said to be the coldest winter here in a long time. Actually, that's good. Open winters are no good for trees and crops.
ReplyDelete