Frozen meltdown

It was a cold day in the United States last Wednesday, January 30.

People were freaking out because temperatures reached -50 below in different Midwestern states. Luckily for me, I know plenty of people in the Midwest, including my family.

Throughout the day I saw various social media posts talking about how cold it was outside. I had never experienced negative 50-degree wind chill days while living in Chicago, so when it happened, I felt like saying welcome to our world.

Yes, negative 50 degree days seldom happen here in Montana, but over the past few years it has happened several times, and when it does happen, I may post about it, but I have become immune to it.

I don’t know many farmers and ranchers in the Midwest, but I do know that when it gets cold out our local ranchers have to put in extra work. I have heard nightmares of cows dropping calves at extremely negative temperatures.

Ranchers in Northeastern Montana, we salute you.

Even funnier to the reactions to extreme weather in the Midwest are the reactions of people in the south. I remember living in Florida with my Australian friends/band members and seeing them react to snow for the first time.

It was rare to get snow in the Cocoa Beach Area. We were helping our landlord’s family move during the winter months of 2009 and then it happened! Snow in central Florida!

For a few minutes, everyone stopped what they were doing to enjoy those tiny flakes of precipitation falling down as if some type of miracle occurred. I wonder if they canceled school that day?

The day was even weirder as it seemed like people forgot how to drive. There wasn’t even enough snow to make the roads slick, but drivers were really cautious like we were all in danger.

Speaking of Florida, it is that time of year that I wish I could afford to be a snowbird. I also find myself missing Florida and their obnoxiously mild winters. To those fortunate enough to go south for the winter, congrats. To the poor souls that have to endure our treacherous winters, with no hope of escape, I salute you, besides, this winter has been awesome.

It has been so awesome that I almost broke out the sun tea. It has been a real heatwave here at the start of 2019. Please, oh please, leave us alone Jack Frost.