Is It Really Global Warming?

Once again here in Upper Michigan, we've had a very slow start to winter. Actually today, January 2, 2012, we've finally experienced our first big snow storm of the season. And it's not exactly a true snow storm in typical fashion because it's all lake effect snow coming off Lake Superior. Not even southern counties in the U.P. are seeing this snowfall. I've never been a big believer of global warming and have thought all along that it's only been the media trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. But within the last decade, our winter's here in Upper Michigan have been unusual to say the least. I'm not saying I'm a total believer yet of the global warming hype, but maybe I am starting to open up more to the idea of it.

It probably took until the middle of November until we received our first measurable snows here in the U.P. Typically that happens a month earlier. If I remember correctly, we had a couple of decent bouts of lake effect snow from that point on, but then we experienced a couple of incredible thaws. They included stretches of days with temperatures in the 40's and low temperatures above freezing overnight. Needless to say, the snow cover dwindled to very little. Where I live along the Lake Superior shore east of Marquette, we didn't receive a decent snow cover up until the last few days. Here and in the city of Marquette, we were only a few days short of having a green Christmas - until a small clipper system dropped in about three inches of snow. So once again, similar to other winters within the last decade, we've had a very slow start to winter.

Back when I was a kid growing up in the U.P., there was never a doubt about us not having snow for deer season. It always helps the hunters to have some snow cover to track the deer after they shoot them. And then while spending Thanksgiving at my grandma's house, we'd be walking along the pathway leading up to her house, all bundled up, with a snowbank up to our knees. And barely having five inches of snow on the ground for Christmas day? Absolutely unheard of (except for the Christmas of 1994 where not one location in the Upper Peninsula had snow). But all of these seem to be the reality rather than the exception lately. Not to say that I've been disappointed with these mild winters because it sure makes it nice traveling on the roads with little snow. But in the end, it does hurt local businesses that depend on the snow. It seems like more and more of the mom-and-pop businesses are shutting down because they can't sustain themselves because of these goofy winters.

So despite our slow start to the winter season here in the U.P., maybe this storm will kick start things and produce epic snows that people seem to have been missing lately. I can't tell you when the last time we've had a truly monstrous blizzard. So we're definitely overdue. I wouldn't mind getting the opportunity to do some cross country skiing before the season is out. And then once March rolls around, it can melt on the way to a nice, mild spring. As for global warming - I'm still not entirely sold on it. It seems like we go through patterns in the weather where we have mild stretches, then cold stretches, and it cycles back and forth through time. I still believe that we're in a mild stretch, but I certainly no longer think that global warming is out of the question. We'll see if these mild winters continue in the years to come.