This is Ridiculous!

It is absolutely ridiculous for the third week of February to be as warm as it was this year! Yes it is ridiculous! In spite of what some of our friends, the local newscasters, and many people we meet casually say about this having been wonderful weather, February in northcentral Pennsylvania should not be as HOT as the 73°F which it recently was at the house.

It was warm enough that in the ponds painted turtles had emerged to bask in the sun –

And in a vernal pool in the Big Woods male wood frogs had gathered and were calling vigorously –

Down along the river some silver maples had opened their flower buds –

And song sparrows were singing to establish their territories –

In the garden daffodil buds are standing tall -

   
And the lenten rose is in full bloom - 

All over the northeast temperature records were being set, some daily records for the date, some for the warmest February and some for the warmest winter day. 

A week before large flocks of Canada geese had been streaming north –

Although these warm February days were exceptional, there is no doubt that our climate is on a warming trend –

And that cold winter nights are becoming scarce –

In spite of what members of the current regime in Washington say, there seems little doubt that humans' burning of fossil fuels is responsible for the warming trend. When 97% of climate scientists agree on something, as they do about human induced climate change, the rest of us better listen.