Weather 'Tis Nobler to Suffer the Slings and Arrows

When one lives outside a large urban centre, one is much more aware of the weather. This has been as true at our former rural home in the Northumberland Hills of Ontario, at our rustic summer cabin on a peaceful lake in the District of Parry Sound in Ontario and at our current home on the shore of the Annapolis Basin in Nova Scotia. In part, I suppose, that is because one is more able to watch the sky, the horizon and grand vistas.

Today, we are told to expect the remnants of a category five hurricane, which has devastated the Bahamas and parts of the United States, to hit us within 48 hours. It is anticipated to be a category one hurricane by then – still a fierce and dangerous prospect, especially if one lives in coastal areas as we do. And that fact that the usually cold waters off our province are unusually warm this year is only going to feed the storms hunger.

So it is all about preparation. Power outages are expected. High winds could cause significant property damage and certainly throw about loose items of outdoor furniture. The tides have been high recently, and a storm surge will almost certainly cause flooding and increased erosion. 

Those who neglect climate and its impact are unwise. And yet today the sun shines and it is a delightful 21 Celsius as we sit on our back deck and watch the tide coming in. How deceiving this can be. And I expect this is why people are often lulled into complacency despite alerts and warnings. 

We, hopefully, will be as ready as one can be in the face of an angry nature. And we can hope that the weather trackers are wrong. But it is always better to be safe than it is to be sorry.