Food for Thought, Nature

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…March

42 Comments

By Maine standards, we are having an extremely mild winter. While we have had a cold day here and there, for the most part the weather has been in the 30s and 40s, not at all typical for Maine in January and now February.

We haven’t had much snow, either, and in sunny spots in town, the snow is pretty much gone. Because we live in the woods, we still have some snow, but it has pulled away from the road, and it seems that we are in late March rather than February.

Readers, it is just plain weird to have weather like this in Maine in mid-winter.

Here is a picture of our road taken in February of last year.

Here is a picture taken yesterday when Clif and I went on a Sunday walk up the road.

As you can see, there is quite a difference. Now, for those who live in a warmer climate, it might seem strange to complain about weather that is still chilly but is warmer than usual for this time of year. And to mourn the lack of snow.

But I was born in Maine and have lived here for most of my sixty-two years. To me, winter means snow and cold, and it feels wrong to have it otherwise. One mild winter by itself would not be a cause for concern, but I am old enough to remember when we did not have ticks, Japanese Beetles, cardinals, or red-bellied woodpeckers. Lots of changes in sixty years.

There are some good things about a mild winter. The ice on the sidewalks and driveways is mostly gone, and it is easier to get around. Warmer weather also makes it less expensive to heat the house, and this is a blessing for those of us who live on a tight budget

On one hand, on the other hand. We humans love to weigh things and make comparisons, to note the bad and the good.

But some of us wonder what it will be like ten years from now, in Maine and around the world.

 

42 thoughts on “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…March”

  1. It has been an unusually mild (if very wet) winter here too, my plants are utterly confused. It is a very good point by you, that a warmer winter at least means a smaller heating bill x

  2. I find myself thinking these same thoughts. I worry about the fluctuating temperatures harming the trees and plants. The changes are unsettling, to say the least.

  3. We are having a very mild Winter here too Laurie and it’s been bringing different migratory birds our way. The trees and wildlife seem happy enough for now as the wind-chill still makes it feel cold 💙

  4. I agree with all the concerns you are expressing & I think people who have some connection with the earth: for example, gardening, have been noticing this for some time. When really drastic events happen like the Australian bush fires …the whole country starts to pay attention..

  11. I think I know where your winter went. The forecast for the Texas Panhandle and a good portion of the hill country mid-week includes a winter storm watch. Yes, ma’am — ice, sleet, and snow: 2-4″ as an average, but as much as 7″ in some places! In San Antonio, the high tomorrow’s forecast to be 83 degrees. Then, on Wednesday, the high will be 46 degrees. Welcome to Texas in spring! I never put away my long underwear until March.

    But poor you. It really is too early for you to have mud season. With luck, you’ll get a nice cold stretch, and some pretty snow to cover up all that messiness!

  12. What I notice are patterns changing; where the weather comes from and how long it lasts; who’s getting cold that didn’t used to and who’s not cold that used to always get it. I don’t recall a lot of el nino/la nina talk last fall so don’t know if temperatures in the Pacific are responsible. It does cause a certain worry.

  13. I’m just a bit glad Mr. Tialys has gone back to the U.K. for a week or so as he will insist on lighting the log burner while he’s here and it was a sunny 20 degrees centigrade the other day. To be fair, it’s a very old house and takes a long time to warm up so, as soon as the sun goes down in winter, it gets a bit nippy inside. Still, I’m using the time to cool off a bit 😅

  15. Sorry to hear about your lack of winter, Laurie. Our local weather pattern changes reflect the larger changes in the climate, and while me might not like some of them, they are not life threatening (yet), as they are on islands, where the sea level rises, or in Australia, where extensive swaths of the countryside are burning. I’m afraid it’s only going to get worse.

  19. We’re having a weird winter too after a very strange year of weather. The Great Lakes set a record in January for high water levels and there have been many reports of damage along the shoreline and there is already reports of marinas that may not be able to open in the spring and beaches that are disappearing. All the climate changes around the world are scary.

Comments are closed.