real weather?

When you live in Southern California for most of your life, and then in Davis for 6 years, you get used to weather forecasters making a BIG (and I mean BIG) deal out of little changes in the weather. I mean, Davisites, who hasn't watched with amusement as the local weather guy talks about an approaching sprinkle as if his first child is about to be born? By October, all of us are parched and are excited for any precipitation--for the rest of y'all, Davis can go 5+ months without a single drop of rain during the summer. Now, there are occasions on which the "mother of all storms" really does hit--this week is a good example for Northern Cali, so I hear. But I am very used to weather being overstated so much that I discount the predictions, which are sensational but rarely worthy of the adjectives lobbed around as I drink my coffee and dress my kids.

I have a problem. Now that we are living in the Northeast, I'm feeling underprepared by the friendly faces on the tube. The weather forecasters say it will be a lovely day, and it is a bone-chilling high of 57 degrees F. And they KNEW that was going to be the high! So now I am concerned: yesterday and today the buzz has been all about an approaching "Nor'easter." This morning Abby asked what that meant and Matthew said, "It means it's neither Christmas, nor Easter." Then he explained that it is a weather pattern that promises to bring "cold" air, and precipitation--this time in the form of rain. The high today is supposed to be 45degF. With 100% chance of rain, and probably heavy rain! Problem is, we have all been wearing our "last line of cold defense" clothes this week, and we've hardly dipped below 55. So, coats are on the way and we're about to start drinking hot cocoa! Now I know how the Davis weather casters feel: I am buzzing with excitement as I wait for the real weather to arrive. And this time, I think it will be more than a sprinkle.