The Absent Uncle: Weather

The weather events surrounding the 2022 holiday season have brought up a number of memories and ideas for columns. So readers, here we go with number one column idea.

Now I realize that I live in the Houston, Texas, area. My roots are in Southwest Minnesota, so how I look at weather here in Texas is very different than the natives (or the transplant natives or anyone living here not used to cold temperatures).

The weather forecasts that I listen to are from a couple of scientists who call themselves “Space City Weather”. They are NASA engineers that are also entrepreneurs that developed a website and have committed themselves to daily weather updates. They don’t over promise or try to predict weather they know is changeable. I love their approach, and they are accurate.

That brings us to the events of the past day or so. Cold approaching. No way to deny it. How cold? By South Dakota and Minnesota standards, a forecast of minus freezing temps (with no precipitation) would not even raise an eyebrow. The Space City Guys were on it. Very accurate with timing.

But the result. In southern Texas – OMG – a panic run on the grocery stores, late incredible advice on making sure your water pipes don’t freeze, YouTube submissions on draining your lawn sprinkler system, and warnings concerning pets, plants, and exposure to the cold. To me, after growing up in Minnesota, this was just a part of common sense. And survival.

It never fails to amaze me how much low temperatures affect normal activity here. I participate in a senior water activity (indoors) three days a week. The usual attendance on Fridays is over 30 – today (Friday), with a temp of 17 degrees – seven showed up!  

Well – being an old Minnesota boy has its advantages. The instructor was late (his car wouldn’t start, his pipes were frozen, and no power in his apartment) but he was appreciative of those seven who came in and he gave us one heck of a session.  

It was chilly. wore a coat, but I got the exercise!