MUSINGS OF A LOCAL by Iris Mead - Ah, The Weather!

We’re all talking about it as it zig zags from 70+ degrees and sunny to 30 degrees and below overnight.  And then there is the WIND to contend with.

The world looked right again last week when we had a couple of balmy sunny days where we shed our coats, put on our sunglasses and walked outside with a smile on our faces.  We had long awaited that respite from our seemingly never-ending winter and welcomed those days thinking Spring had arrived.  But, as our fickle Northeast winters are wont to do, the weather changed and those fleeting days are now back to “normal” and winter wear is back on our bodies and our heat is on again. The warm temperature on Monday quickly dropped overnight jolting us back to reality when snow flurries and cold temperatures arrived on Tuesday morning.  At the end of the day we were again reminded that even though the sky may be blue and the sun is shining, a snow squall can arrive quickly.

If you are like me, during those two spring-like days you opened your windows and doors, turned on ceiling fans to help air out the house that has been closed up for months and noticed those dirty windows. There is hope.  The Spring Equinox, when day and night are of equal length, arrives on Thursday, March 20, the first day of spring. This signals that there will be more lasting spells of warmth around the corner.  The changing of the month from March into April always gives us hope that “April showers bring May flowers” and warmer temperatures.  Even though temperatures tend to still dip into freezing at night, warmer days are coming. 

With these warmer temperatures, hikers feel the need to get outside and stretch their legs.  The DEC is warning that “intense, severe and dynamic conditions” will affect trails and streams, especially in high peak areas.  With the rapidly melting snow, water levels in the streams rise and can become dangerous throughout the day as they fill due to the snow melt.  A passable stream at the start of a hike can quickly become a raging torrent later in the day.  

Also, during this time of the year fog starts to roll in impacting visibility and making driving more dangerous. As residents of this area, we are aware that the Catskills are known for the microclimates which lead to diverse weather patterns within short distances.

As daylight continues to increase over the next months, our spirits will rise and motivate us to spend more time outdoors as the grass starts to turn green and gardening time arrives.  If you are a golfer, the courses will soon be ready. As they say, spring is around the corner, maybe even in time for a warm Easter on April 5.