The Latest Weather

Yesterday it got up to 65 degrees Fahrenheit in the afternoon in northern New Jersey, despite the fact that it was the first day of February. Meanwhile, much of Europe is going through a deep freeze. The worst of the cold has been in Poland, Russia, Ukraine and the Balkans: Moscow saw temperatures of six degrees below zero Fahrenheit, while Romania has seen temperatures plummet to 26 below Fahrenheit. Several people in numerous European countries have died of hypothermia. Several villages in Bosnia and Serbia have been cut off by cold and snow, with supplies and rescues having to be made by helicopter.

The United Kingdom is experiencing a more moderate winter, certainly more moderate than the deep freezes of more recent years, with temperatures in London right around the freezing mark, but still below normal. The cold snap was big enough news in Britain to get disc jockeys on BBC Radio 2 to comment on it. So, yeah, it's a big freakin' deal.

The abnormally warm temperatures in the American Northeast should also be a big deal. I don't see spring- like days in early February as a good thing. I see it as the planet being completely out of whack. Because climate change means that not only is North America getting warmer, it means that much of Europe could end up in a new Ice Age. A good deal of Europe sits above the 50th parallel, and the Gulf Stream pretty much makes human habitation possible in Great Britain, Ireland and Norway.  Melting polar ice caps may have a tendency to skew the Gulf Stream rather considerably.

Back in the U.S., many folks in the Northeast took advantage of the abnormally (soon to be normally) warm temperatures, and I doubt many of them knew about the cold snap in Europe - especially if they read USA Today. People were in New York's Central Park soaking up the sun. In February. Don't they get it? It's like Michael Moore once said - If the sun rose at night, you'd be freaking out, yet warm temperatures in the northern U.S. in February are just as abnormal and unnatural. Wake up, America: Climate change is real!

And yet, I don't mind if it continues to be mild in my neck of the woods.  I hate myself right now.  

Oh yeah, today's Groundhog Day. Punxsutawney Phil in western Pennsylvania saw his shadow, meaning six more weeks of winter, but it New York City, Staten Island Chuck (Chuck?) did not see his shadow, meaning an early spring. Climate change even has the groundhogs confused.