Brrr! Bundle up, everybody.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, we are heading for below-average temperatures this winter.
This time, again, it’s La Niña that gets the blame. La Niña, meaning “The Girl” in Spanish, is the sister of El Niño (“The Boy”), both of which refer to temperatures in the east Equatorial Pacific Ocean. La Niña temps are the below-normal ones that can affect winter temperatures on land.
NOAA had this to say: “La Niña winters tend to favor above-average snowfall around the Great Lakes and in the northern Rockies and below-average snowfall in the mid-Atlantic.”
Well, who’s taking bets? Most often, weather forecasters are people who get paid to dispense misinformation.
The colder-than-normal winter predicted (as if “normal” winters aren’t cold enough) is music to the ears of those who don’t believe in global warming (who don’t understand it) and to those outdoor types who thrive in below-zero temps like Eskimos. Then, alas, there’s the rest of us.
The NOAA advisory, whether it proves true or not, is a good wake-up call for all Minnesotans. It’s time to get prepared by doing the following:
- Time to check our furnaces or other heating systems to make sure they are in good, safe working order.
- Insulate one’s house against winter’s blasting drafts.
- Prepare a winter-survival kit to keep in vehicles. It should include the following: candles, matches or a cigarette lighter; a canister or two of Sterno; a flashlight; a rocket flare; a red banner cloth so your stranded car can be noticed with banner flapping on the radio antenna; some snacks like high-energy bars; a collapsible shovel; a gallon of bottled water; extra hats, socks and mitten; and a first-aid kit. (Those items can be placed inside a plastic tote or in a waterproof backpack. The gallon of water should be placed in the car just before any out-of-town trip.) Also, put plenty of warm blankets or sleeping bags in the back seat or trunk.
- Last, but not least, get a winter tune-up for vehicles to make sure they are safe for winter driving.
It’s all too easy to overlook these pre-winter preparations, but if we do them now, before winter arrives, we will be able to face and endure the rigors of winter with a lot more confidence and a sense of well-being.
