Monday, January 23, 2006

Unseasonably Warm Weather

Earlier this year, Environment Canada, and most meteorologists predicted that this would be an unusually cold winter, or at least a cold winter. Early indicators gave credence to this theory, with a cold November, and a cold start to December.

Since then, the weather experts were forced to revise there prediction due to unseasonably warm weather. According to one report, the warm weather is due to gulf winds forcing its way North, keeping the typical winter artic winds far in the North. As an untrained weather observer, I would link this year's Russian deep freeze to those Gulf winds pushing the Artic winds right over the top.

This whole weather issue is of great concern to agriculture, and winter entertainment providers, as Ski hills melt, and fields lose there winter blanket. Today, at lunch, one of my coworkers was able to, if not prove, reasonably correlate this weather, with one possible cause.

What is the cause you might ask?

Why quite simply, and irrefutably, politicians!

You see, early December was quite frigid, then the Federal Election was called, and suddenly it was warm. How could an election effect weather patterns you might wonder? It is simple, it is a well know fact that politicians are a source of "hot air" particularly garrulous ones are often know as "old wind bags." Couple this general hot air source, combined with the known increase in politician gas emissions during elections and you suddenly have a climate changing force.

"But Geoff, how come we haven't seen weather effects during other Federal Elections?"

The truth is, we have but they are unnoticeable, it is very rare for a winter election, especially not a January one, as our politicians have pointed out, they loath Christmas elections, and it's all the other guy's fault. So if we have a warm spring election it's seen as relief from winter's icy grip. Warm fall election? A welcome Indian summer. Warm summer election? Time to go to the cottage or the beach. Since warm weather is only a hindrance and most notable in the winter, previous winter weather election effects have rarely be noted or correlated.

On the up side, one way or the other the adverse weather effects of the election will be over today. After which the weather may be the least of our concern.

No comments: