Tag Archives: weather

Dear America: Iowa laughs at your “polar vortex”

Polar vortex strikes 9th circle of hell. Film at 11.

I don’t want to make light of the cold snap sweeping the eastern half of the country. I know it’s dangerous and I hope everyone reading is warm and safe.

That said, the issue here isn’t the cold. It’s the level of preparedness. I spent two winters in Iowa while getting my MA at Iowa State in Ames. And I’m here to tell you, what the rest of you are calling a “polar vortex” Iowans call “January.” Those who have been around me when the subject of cold weather came up at any point since 1989 have heard this rant. Probably word for word.

You simply don’t know what cold is. Read more

WTF? Happy May Day from Colorado (STFU weather, anyone?)

Monday it was in the 80s here in Denver. This weekend the forecast calls for pretty, seasonal weather in the upper 50s. But today is May Day, the midpoint of springtime. What better opportunity for Mother Nature to show off a bit.

Here’s Ronan MacScottie, out for his morning constitutional a few minutes ago.

MayDay

Happy Beltane, everyone. Here’s hoping your day is as beautiful as ours.

 

The Scrogue’s Guide to Denver and the DNC: packing and survival guide (tips on transportation, altitude and the Mile High vibe)

No two towns are quite alike, but as a guy who’s been all over the US I can testify that Denver ranks pretty high on the uniqueness scale. Its geographic location is a big part of the equation, to be sure, and the culture that has emerged from its particular history makes it not quite like any other city in America.

Here are few things that I’ve learned since I first moved West in 1993.

Altitude

You’ll probably feel the lack of oxygen the first time you have to truck up a couple flights of stairs. You’ll adjust, but depending on where you’re from, maybe not fast enough. Read more