At great personal sacrifice, I sat in my hot tub last night for hours looking for the Northern Lights. I did not see them but they were visible in many parts of the US. Some spectacular shots are available on www.spaceweather.com. Since solar activity is light this time of the year, this was a bit unusual and a real treat.

I am beginning to get asked “where’s the winter weather??” Darn good question. As you know the Farmers’ Almanac is calling for a cold winter and unlike others we are not able to change our minds mid stream. Here is a message from a Canadian:

I checked the Internet to see what the almanac is saying for the winter predictions for 2006-2007 and so far I don’t think it is right. We are getting very mild temperatures and have not got any snow this month or very little. We are getting a lot of rain and it looks like we are not getting a white Christmas. Can you tell me what we could expect for the rest of the winter season. We live in the eastern part of Ontario (Toronto-Peterborough area)

If you live in the Midwest, Northwest or outside Buffalo, there has already been a major winter storms. There has been a good amount of snow in the Rockies for skiing. Much of the cold is “stuck” in Western Canada and has not snuck down into the U.S. yet because of the jet stream. That can change overnight.

So, is it a late start or a winter without snow. Stay tuned. Winter “officially” starts next week. Just don’t shoot the messenger.

There has been much coverage about people stuck or lost in blizzards this year. This has prompted a few TV reports about what to do. Last week I devoted one blog to driving in rain and another on how to Survive a Blizzard. If you did not see these, click on the appropriate blog. No question that it is a good idea to pack a blanket, shovel, flashlight and other supplies for winter driving. There have been cases of people making the right and wrong decisions when lost. Best thing to do is to be prepared. It may be warm outside today, but when it comes, you want to have the equipment to survive. Leave a survival kit in your car all winter.

Have a good weekend. Happy shopping.

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