So...you call THIS Winter?

[Philosoraptor]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WEATHER/01/04/warm.winter.ap/index.html

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Crocuses are pushing out of the ground in New Jersey. Ice fishing tournaments in Minnesota are being canceled for lack of ice. And golfers are hitting the links in Chicago in January.

Much of the Midwest and the East Coast are experiencing remarkably warm winter, with temperatures running 10 and 20 degrees higher than normal in many places.

"I'm not complaining. I can take this," said Rudolph Williams, a doorman in New York City who normally wears a hat this time of year but stood outside in 50-degree weather with his shaved head uncovered.

"The Earth is recalibrating itself: Last year, we had a cold winter, and it's balancing itself out now. In January, it feels like the middle of April."
------------------

So, I'm NOT hallucinating!

[Bluebear]

1. "The Earth is recalibrating itself"

I see, Mr. Doorman. :eyes:

[cornermouse]

2. Grandmother's fire-in-the-bush had blooms in December

Not normal around here.

[POAS]

3. If it doesn't rain

I'm going golfing tomorrow or Saturday in NE Ohio.

Last year the winter was also on the mild side here.

[lisa58]

4. We had roses on Christmas n/t

[ClintonTyree]

5. Western New York......

bushes are budding, a few crocuses are pushing up, the Erie Canal hasn't a bit of ice in it, Rochester, NY had the warmest December on record and it was 46 degrees when I rose at 5:00 AM today. New York City hasn't had so much as a snow flurry as yet. If they get past January 6 without doing so (the forecast is for temperatures in the 50's for the next week or so) they'll pass the all time record for lack of snow.
No, there's nothing unusual about this winter weather. :eyes:

While I am enjoying it I wonder what this bodes for weather later on in the year. Will it be a winter that never comes? Will winter come when spring is due? Will summer take a pass this year? Will we broil under a relentless sun and suffer through a drought? :shrug: I don't know what to expect anymore and I get the feeling this is just the start of unusual weather phenomenon.

I'm glad I'm closer to the end of my life than the beginning. The changes we're going to see in the next 50 years or so (in all aspects of our lives) would probably too much for this old boy to take. I do not envy the young.

[Az]

6. Well once the Earth recalibrates itself life has to recalibrate itself

And we are rather dependent on the web of life how it was calibrated previously.

[A Simple Game]

7. "The Earth is recalibrating itself"

Would that be like the human body raising its temperature(a fever) to rid itself of unwanted germs?

The earth does cleanse itself constantly.

The human body has many germs, bacteria, viruses, etc. in it at all times, but when one of them starts to multiply and try to take over the body, the body reacts to rid itself of the pests. Are we seeing the same thing on a global scale?

[lonestarnot]

10. And as with elevated temps come tremors. Waiting and watching and most importantly,

acting to reduce my footprints.

[A Simple Game]

11. I can't remember the product, but I do remember the punch line

from some TV ads quite a few years ago. You don't want to get Mother Nature mad.

[lonestarnot]

13. "Don't piss off Mother Nature."

[Sydnie]

22. It Isn't Nice Too Fool Mother Nature

http://www.advertisementave.com/tv/ad.asp?u_player=mediaplayer&adid=357 <-- watch one here

Chiffon Margarine

[A Simple Game]

23. That was it, thanks. n/t

[michaz]

8. Northeastern New York on the Canadian Border

Unreal weather! We are still able to put in fence posts at our horse farm. Most of the time we are in sweatshirts. Supposed to be 51 on Saturday. I am not complaining!

[A Simple Game]

24. Hi, neighbor. Welcome to DU.

I'm about 30 miles south of you.

[Adelante]

9. Meanwhile I'm freezing my ass off in sunny Mexico nt

[OhioChick]

12. Temps are hovering in the 50's here......

Average snowfall is typically around 60-70 inches and we haven't even hit 10, yet. Definitely not Winter....

[cali]

26. We're supposed to hit 60 degrees in Northern Vermont

within the next couple of days. There's only 3 or inches of snow on the ground here, and I was in Burlington today and there was none. This is Northern Vermont, almost as far north as you can get before hitting Canada. Stowe, Jay, Smuggler's, they're all screwed. Yeah, there's skiing but it's just pathetic compared to a normal year. I thought last year was bad, but this year's shaping up to be even worse.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

14. I'm Lovin It. Hope It Keeps Up!

[Nutmegger]

15. I have been looking forward to skiing all summer. Hope some snow comes soon.

x(

[Sydnie]

16. We're looking at 50's and low 60's in Massachusetts right now

In January! I am not complaining too much as the savings of fuel oil and the money that it would be eating out of my budget otherwise can be used for other pressing needs. Having said that, I wonder just how much we will be paying for this later with either snow into May or a summer that will cost more than the oil saving in cooling costs.

It's just amazing how warm it is here.

[tom_paine]

17. A small taste of the future is what I call it

[bigwillq]

18. And I'm enjoying it so much!

:bounce:

[poiuytsister]

19. Bring it on!

NE Wisconsin set a new record today, high in the mid 40's -- this is normal for May 1. I smelled skunk musk on my way into work this morning which is usually a sign of spring. They hibernate so dead skunk means they are out and about. Not quite the same as lilacs blooming.

[candidate]

20. Republicans will trust the doorman over real scientists

Oh sorry, I forgot to put scientist in quotations, as republicans and freeptards do.

To these clowns, scientists are part of a global conspiracy to put an end to big business in America, in the name of environmentalism. To them, global warming is hysteria, despite all the data collected over the past few decades.

People who aren't insane, however, know that the data confirms that the earth is getting warmer. Part of it is due to the fact that we're coming out of the last ice age, but only a fool would actually believe that we aren't part of the problem as well.

[cynatnite]

21. No, but this is and then some...

My sister and her family are barely able to eat because of this weather. All the food in the fridge and deep freezer went bad. They're on MRE's. It'll be at least two weeks before electricity is restored. Hopefully, none of the animals die while they wait. They've already lost a few head of cattle. She's worried about the dogs and horses making it.

They're supposed to be getting a generator and some fuel. That's not due to the government. It's because of private citizens and businesses who are going out of their way to help.

BTW, the picture is a yahoo one from Colorado. Big storm that's devestated the plains.

[XOKCowboy]

25. And here in Denver...

a Repug colleague joked about "Global Warming" as we chopped ice from the recent storms and heard that another storm was coming. I wanted to explain to him that this WAS caused by global warming but it's no use. He still thinks that Iraq was behind 9/11.

:crazy:

[k_jerome]

27. it is ridiculous...

it has been in the 50's here in Iowa. One snowfall that melted the next day.

[grasswire]

28. it will be -1 next week in Oregon

And that is VERY VERY unusual. We rarely get even below 35 degrees.