I keep hearing the term “polar vortex” again. It’s one of those terms I can’t remember ever hearing until the last few years. As near as I can figure, we used to call it winter.
Just to be clear, I did not walk to school through six feet of snow, uphill, both ways. It may have felt like it some days, but it didn’t happen. But we did used to have winter. At least, in my somewhat foggy memory we had winter.
I can remember skating on ponds, usually from about mid-November until at least March, maybe even April. Maybe I’m wrong, but it sure seemed that way. And if we weren’t doin our best imitation of our favourite hockey player, we were zipping down a snow packed hill on a toboggan. These seemed like activities that went on for months without interruption, because we had plenty of snow and cold temperatures. We called it winter.
It also seemed that we generally got a cold snap or two in the middle of this cold season. We never had a name for it. But at some point in January it would get colder, then warm up a bit for the January thaw, then get colder again.
Now we have the term “polar vortex”. I understand this is a meteorological term to describe certain conditions which drive cold air south, but it also seems to be something to strike fear into many of us.
Yes. It’s cold. It happens most every year at this time. Eventually, it will get warmer again. Since I no longer throw myself down hills on a toboggan or do much skating on ponds, I tend to not be as big a fan as I once was. But it will pass. I hope.
