It's been around 25 degrees C (78) and sunny every day for nearly a week. Yesterday when we left work it was 27! June weather. Even when the Canada goose first appeared on March 8 (the earliest we've ever seen them), we never could have imagined this.
This is not "ahead", this is rather "unheard of", literally. It's never happened, far from it, ever since they've begun recording stats in the middle of the 19th century. This year is according to all the experts, "one for the books" (link in French).
Sometimes, winter catches us somewhat by surprise, in the sense that a first snowfall can happen early and suddenly (and unpleasantly). But summer taking us by surprise? Just never happened, period. Within a couple of days, the kids went from wearing winter coats with woolen hats and mittens to shorts and t-shirts. I just don't know how to dress F: LP still has things from last year that fit, but not her obviously -she wore 6-12 months clothing, while she wears a size 18-24 months now. She doesn't have wellies for daycare, or a summer hat, or... anything for that matter (and as you can imagine shopping is not a priority right now). Even I had to open my packed box of summer clothing, incredulous that last week I wore boots, while today I'm wearing open-toe pumps.
The streets here downtown are full of such unusual sights for March: bare legs and bare shoulders, flip-flops, hundreds of bikes, people eating and lingering outdoors. No snow whatsoever, while some years this time is very much still winter-like. And usually, all of it happens very gradually over many weeks, with every little milestone fully savored: first ditching the winter coat for a lighter one, then ditching the scarf, then wearing shoes, then not requiring a coat at all, then finally getting into summer mode, including barbecueing and eating outdoors, sleeping with the windows open, etc. Now everyone is a little confused about it happening at all once.
This is all so increasibly pleasant, and so... weird. Seemingly echoing my post from last week, I read the following tweet from a local food critic yesterday: "This weather is just like most fish you buy: so good, but knowing what we know, also hard to appreciate."
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Surprise! Summer
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2 comment(s):
I'd be curious to see data from 1986. I remember that year, because I celebrated my end-of-March birthday playing outside, wearing a sun dress, which was very special and has never happened again! Actually, I'll be very frustrated this year if it snows on my B-day after those several days of summer earlier in the month...
On the other hand, I agree with you that as a manifestation of global warming, it is hard to enjoy :-(
I remember 1986 being very warm too!
My parents went on a spring trip to France and I remember us playing outside a lot (our childless at home sitters were much less strict than them), late, and without any warm gear on. It was the best. :-)
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