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By Joel Vernier
2026 has been an interesting weather year. It seems to me that spring was colder than usual, which in the past has translated into a hotter summer! We have predictions of 90-plus-degree weather, and yet so far, they never seem to come true! Sometimes it does not come even close to the models’ predictions from the weather programs. I also don’t remember as many windy days as I have noticed this year. Sometimes we get rain that is not predicted, and we do not get rain as predicted. We need rain. I love a soft, warm rainfall, which enhances my nap or extends my morning sleep. I also enjoy a rain with the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. Humans are quite adaptable, living in environments that almost never rain or that rain almost all the time! The McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica have had no measurable precipitation for millions of years! How do they determine that? In a desert in Chile, some areas receive less than a millimeter of rainfall per year. In Death Valley, United States, they get 2.5 inches of rain per year.
The wettest place on Earth, Mawsynram in Meghalaya, India, averages about 467 inches of rain per year! In the United States, the Pacific Northwest gets hammered by the mountains, but on Mount Waialeale on Kauai, Hawaii, it gets hundreds of inches of rain per year. Michigan, by comparison, seems to be a great place to live!
Changes in the weather affect people in many ways. Sudden drops in pressure can trigger migraines or headaches. Cold, damp weather can stiffen joints and worsen arthritis. Barometric pressure can cause sinus stuffiness or ear popping.
Changes in mood can happen on gray, rainy days, can drag energy down, and trigger seasonal affective disorder. Extreme heat can make you irritable and tired.
Our pets can also be affected by the weather. Dogs with thick coats are prone to overheating in hot weather. Cold weather can trigger hypothermia in small or short-haired breeds. One of my dogs in years past was a “Weather Predictor” with talent far exceeding computer models and was 100% on target! When a storm was coming, we did not have NIXEL back in the day, so when “Nugget” had her hair stand straight up in the air, then she would run into the bathtub to hide; you knew that a thunderstorm was coming. I have been blessed to live with 9 dogs in my lifetime so far; some couldn’t care less about thunderstorms, fireworks, gunshots, or other noise events. Others acted like thunder or fireworks were triggering the end of the world! Some dogs affected by these noises do well with comfort blankets and plenty of cuddling, while others need medication to help them relax.
Severe storms, high winds, hail, and lightning that come in a barrage, making it look almost like daytime, bother me. That may be because I have a lot of low-hanging branches and twigs to pick up. Today looks like moderate temperatures, sunny, a perfect day for a walk.
“Remember, every day is a gift! Some are just a little more fun to open than others.
