Winter Has Come

Posted by Katharine M. J. Osborne Dec 23, 2006

I currently live in Phoenix (moving to Hawaii in a couple of weeks - can't wait!), and winter has even reached here. I won't go as far as saying that the bitter cold has taken hold - though I'm so acclimatized to 120 degree fahrenheit heat that 40 degrees is bitterly cold to me. Actually, there will probably be snow on the nearby Superstition mountains tomorrow which will be a pleasant and unusual sight.

Since it is officially winter, I decided to write some winter themed articles. It always amazing to me that weather is perennially a topic of conversation - we all say it is boring, but everyone always seems fascinated by the changes. Of course, those changes can be dramatic. Colorado has just survived a huge blizzard which has snarled air traffic all over North America.

Here in Arizona, rain is so rare that anyone who has lived in the state for any length of time that as soon ast it starts they will instantly run to the nearest window and peer out for several minutes, ewwing and awwing (visitors often stare at the Arizonans in disbelief at the apparently strange behavior).