Spring Followed By Winter

I was afraid of this.  In spite of my hopes that we'd be spared another winter storm at least until December, it looks like we're going to get snow in the greater New York area.

I've been looking for bright sides in the possibility of snowfall next Tuesday and/or Wednesday.  When computer models showed that it would merely graze the area, I thought that at least it would only be a glancing blow.  Now the latest Euro model shows a direct hit, even though the GFS model does not.  And the Weather Channel's Jim Cantore - who probably knows more about meteorology than anyone - is leaning toward the Euro model as being more accurate.

When the Euro model also showed eight inches of snow for my area at the most, I thought that at least it wouldn't be a foot or more.  Then I saw the possibility for potential for strong winds, the sort that cause blowing and drifting.

When I saw that there wouldn't be much in the way of sleet or freezing rain, despite high and low temperatures of either side of freezing, I thought that at least it wouldn't turn into an ice storm and knock the power out.  Now it looks like that the winds will be strong enough to call for a blizzard warning . . . and possibly knock the power out!

The sun angle in March, which is stronger than in January, would cause a lot snow to melt before it could stick, which I took as a mitigating factor.  Oops!  Wait a minute - the heaviest snow, if it all works out right, would fall on Tuesday night . . . when it's dark.  But, I thought, the forecast shows it getting warmer again after Wednesday.  Now there's a possibility that it could remain cold all of next week!      

I've also heard words to describe this storm if it goes the way the Euro model - which accurately called Hurricane Sandy a week in advance - says it will, such as "major," "significant," and "historic."  Those are three adjectives - especially "historic" - that you don't want to hear in any weather forecast.    

But at least the weather patterns will calm down in April, right? According to meteorological experts . . . uh, no.

That's it.  I've run out of bright sides and "at leasts."  And that's the reason why I'm completely becoming pessimistic - not just about the weather, but about . . . everything.  

I don't even want to talk about the possibility of a total Tea Party takeover of Washington in 2017 . . ..