Storm Approaching a Field
Winter Storm
Winter in Nova Scotia has always been, shall we say, interesting. Known as the “banana belt” of our Province, Yarmouth County is the most moderate area of the Province, with cool summer breezes coming off the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine, and in the winter the wind coming also off the water, making it warmer than other parts of Eastern Canada. That does not mean, however, that our weather is always calm and peaceful.
Last week, a massive storm came up the coast and went right up the Bay of Fundy, sending our barometers here to record lows, and packing a very powerful punch of snow, rain and wind. Thousands of folks lost power, and the storm was mercifully just a one day thing – although it was followed by an arctic blast of cold air, which dropped our temperatures to record lows. The result was that it then snowed a few inches, and later rained again, continuing our normal roller coaster that is winter here in the Maritimes.
Storms like this while interesting and pretty to photograph are worrisome, though. Global climate change is evidenced by the frequency and intensity of these kinds of storms – and even the arctic cold is attributable in part to the overall warming of earth – as research is now showing that rapid arctic warming is having an influence on the jet stream, and thus impacting us in more southern areas as the arctic air suddenly can move more frequently and further to the south. Some do not understand this and make silly comments like because the weather is cold in some place like Washington DC, it proves there is no climate change – when obviously the opposite is the truth.
In any case, the photograph this week shows a storm approaching, and records the beauty of a winter field in our area. The snowpack is important for spring water levels for both wildlife and domestic animals and for the water levels that we depend on for our wells and water sources. It’s why we should all be concerned about planetary climate changes.
