Everyone Talks About the Weather...

[waggawerewolf27]

It's raining today, starting from yesterday. It is now rather cool for this time of year, 21C/70F. I seem to remember someone actually predicting snow for Victoria which is a bit weird for midsummer. But the floods in Bundaberg and in the Lockyer Valley near Brisbane have finished.

Thanks for the link, johobbit. I've never heard of Wiarton Willie before. How do these groundhogs predict the spring with their shadows?

Groundhog Day, featuring Wiarton Willie, is a popular annual festival in Wiarton and is similar to events in other locations in North America. A midwinter celebration involving an animal with predictive powers was an element of Celtic culture.[1] The link between weather prediction and the day is said to have been inspired by an old Scottish couplet: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear/ There'll be two winters in the year."[2]

It seems that Groundhog Day is a survival of Candlemas Day, whatever that festival was supposed to signify in religious terms, as opposed to weather terms. As far as I know, Candlemas is, in turn, a Christianisation of the old Celtic festival of Imbolc, just as Halloween continues on from Samhain, another old Celtic festival.

I take it, then, that the weather is now behaving as you'd expect for a Winter February up north?

[DiGoRyKiRkE]

I've never heard of Wiarton Willie before. How do these groundhogs predict the spring with their shadows?

I don't know about all of his counterparts, but Punxsutawney Phil (the national groundhog) predicts it thusly. If he sees his shadow, he'll be frightened of it, running back into his hole meaning that there will be 6 more weeks of winter. If he doesn't see his shadow, it is a sign that Spring will come sooner rather than later.

It's more or less is just a fun tradition at this point. . . like most weathermen, Punxsutawney Phil is wrong more than he is right .

If today's weather is any indication, we're in for a terrified groundhog tomorrow. It was a frigid 3 degrees this morning (-16 Celsius) and our afternoon high only made it up to 10 degrees (-12 Celsius). I'm all for winter, but when things get this cold it's downright terrifying.

[Puddleglum]

I wonder if some co-workers of mine might be hoping the groundhogs doesn't see a shadow. Every time we get a shipment of material coming into the loading docks they have to open the big doors to let the trucks in. The wind almost always blows from the west, straight into our part of the plant, causing the temps to drop about fifty degrees in seconds.
I try to tell them it also brings much needed oxygen, but they are not buying it.

[DiGoRyKiRkE]

Well that famous woodchuck didn't see his shadow this morning. Spring is drawing nigh (if you believe such hokum )

[Aslanisthebest]

And, interestingly, this happens the day we see the most snow we've seen all season! Ha.

We got snowz and it's still falling! This is the first time all year that I can't see the grass.

[Ithilwen]

Here it has been very sunny, but extremely cold. It's very odd to look out of one's window, and seeing what looks like a hot summer day, and then step out into icy air.


~Riella

[IloveFauns]

I would love if that happened to me, about a month left of bad weather than another month of bearable weather and finally some nice weather in April and may.

[SnowAngel]

We had a rather strange weekend, it snowed Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night. And even though it was fairly cool on Friday and Saturday, both days it was sunny and almost all of the snow melted. Then on Sunday all of the snow did melt and the very little bit that didn't melt on Sunday, was dissolved by the rain today.

This was what our deck looked like on Friday morning.


SnowAngel

[stargazer]

It seems that Groundhog Day is a survival of Candlemas Day...Candlemas is, in turn, a Christianisation of the old Celtic festival of Imbolc, just as Halloween continues on from Samhain, another old Celtic festival.

That's my understanding too. The old Celtic calendar has 4 cross-quarter days, marking the halfway point between the previous equinox (or solstice) and the next one. These survive to some extent in modern calendars: in addition to Imbolc and Samhain there is Beltane (May Day) and Lammas (August 1), a harvest festival which seems to have gotten short shrift in North America.

If he sees his shadow, he'll be frightened of it, running back into his hole meaning that there will be 6 more weeks of winter.

Around here, this worst-case scenario would be seen as good, since 6 weeks out brings us to mid-March, but snow can fall here well into May.

I quite like that picture, SnowAngel! Very reminiscent of winter here.

Here's a shout-out to the small town of Embarrass, Minnesota, which recorded the lowest temperature in the Lower 48 the other morning: -39F/C. Now that's winter! Here, in contrast, it was a balmy 0F/-18C at about the same time.

We've had snow each day this month (7 inches so far) and while this wouldn't be too exciting in a normal winter, it's nice to finally get some accumulation that might recharge the drought-stricken farmlands and watersheds this spring.

[fantasia]

We have a 70% chance of a thunderstorm tonight.

YAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!!!

[johobbit]

Yuppers, DiGs, that is also how Wiarton Willie predicts the forecast for an early or late spring.

Yay, Bella! So glad you finally have SN♥W!

Pretty pictureque picture, SnowAngel.

-39 in Embarrass, stargazer, wow! Now, that is something they should be 'proud' of.

EDIT: I just Google-mapped "Embarrass", and wow, it looks to be in the middle of a gorgeous area, surrounded by protected forests and state parks. And not too far from the Canadian border ... within an hour, anyway. End EDIT

Did the thunderstorm come, fantasia? And with it, a good dump of rain, I hope.

Winter Storm Warning here: through tonight and all tomorrow, we are expecting snow with much blustering and blowing, and very cold temperatures, especially at the western end of Lake Ontario, where I am. Needless to say, many people will be hunkering in their homes until the storm has mostly passed, at which point the neighbourhoods will be out shoveling. So glad to finally have a good ol'-fashioned storm upon us. Whilst Toronto may get 8+", we are forecast to receive 12" at least. The winds coming off the lake are supposed to be quite spectacular, bringing that extra snow, both fresh and blowing. Wheeeheeee!

[waggawerewolf27]

A thunderstorm would be nice here to cool the place down a bit. It is beginning to heat up again. 35C (95F today) and it will be higher tomorrow. Bushfires have broken out again in Tasmania and elsewhere, as well.

Lammas (August 1), a harvest festival which seems to have gotten short shrift in North America.

Lammas also survives, not in a Christian or even as its original sense, but in Australia as the day of the year by which horses' ages are calculated. In addition to being the generic horse's birthday it is also the bank holiday, or at least the first Monday after July 31st. I believe there are also surviving UK connotations and customs. We never celebrated Halloween much in Australia until fairly recently, but since the late 1800's we celebrate the running of the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November.

Around here, this worst-case scenario would be seen as good, since 6 weeks out brings us to mid-March, but snow can fall here well into May.

Wouldn't that sort of snowfall in May, ie late spring, be a late reminder of winter in a place close to the Canadian border where coldness is expected? Or is it in the mountains? Across the pond in Scotland, my husband said it was quite usual for snow to be around in March. On the other hand, down in Victoria in the Australian Alps it has snowed once or twice Midsummer - on Christmas day, even, a couple of years ago.

-39 in Embarrass, stargazer, wow! Now, that is something they should be proud of.

I agree that we in NSW have some weird place-names, like Nevertire or Come-by-chance. One Sydney suburb which didn't like being called Dumbletown, got itself renamed Beverley Hills, after the LA suburb. But Embarrass, Minnesota? Isn't that a somewhat embarrassing sort of address to have?

[wolfloversk]

We're getting the warnings at the other end too, Jo Hopefully I'll see a few feet of snow

I like it

[Puddleglum]

Looks like everyone will be looking forward to some weather heading their way this weekend. We are told it should be starting mid-to-late in the day tomorrow. Starting with freezing rain, then turning to snow later. I will get out later to make sure the electric starter still works on the snowblower later.
I know our resident hobbit is looking forward to more of the white stuff, and I assure you I enjoy the scenery it creates emmensly. But, I must admit I am tiring of the cold already. Perhaps I am just getting a few too many creaks in the joints for it.

[fantasia]

Did the thunderstorm come, fantasia? And with it, a good dump of rain, I hope.

......not really..... We got a little bit of rain, but that was about it.
The storms formed about an hour north of us and moved north. We have another chance for storms tomorrow night.

To all of you getting tons of snow, stay safe and warm!

[waggawerewolf27]

Yes, the evening news does report some drastic snowfalls in NE North America. Seems some got more snow than they ever dreamed of getting. All the best!