My wife accuses me of being a weather wonk. I’m not sure where she gets that idea.
Yes, the Weather Channel is usually on when I’m in front of the TV, but let’s not forget that I’m asleep at the time. I find the music soothing, like elevator music from the sky.
Still, weather does have its allure, and it turns out I’m not the only one. A survey released this week shows 76 per cent of Canadians check the local weather report at least once a day, and at least one in three pay more attention to the weather reporter than the boss.
Two in 10 pay more attention to the local weather report than their spouse.
Who thinks up these surveys anyway? My wife?
Kidding aside, I find our weather fascinating. Maybe it’s because I was born (like half the population of Vancouver) in Winnipeg. And I’ve traded Canada’s 10th coldest winter for its 99th. Believe it or not, Winnipeg’s winter is colder than Whitehorse’s, which makes it a good place to be from.
Vancouver is not even the rainiest city in Canada, although it is ninth, behind legendary swamps like St. John’s and Halifax, and — surprise — Abbotsford. The next time you criticize the twinning of the Port Mann Bridge, spare a thought for the poor commuters of Abbotsford. It takes two hours to get home, and they’re heading to the fourth rainiest city in the country. I guess it could be worse; they could be heading a few more exits down the Trans Canada to No. 3, Chilliwack.
Most people think Victoria is warmer than Vancouver and it does have Canada’s mildest winter; Vancouver is fourth, with Nanaimo and Duncan second and third, respectively.
However, Vancouver is second warmest overall, topped only by Chilliwack, all wet and warm.
Had enough? I could go on, but people usually start nodding off at this point. Can’t understand it. If you hunger for more, fellow misunderstood weather enthusiast, have I got a website for you! Check out Environment Canada’s Weather Winners. David Phillips, senior climatologist and my hero, has put all the data for Canada’s 100 largest cities into the climate cauldron and has come up with the ultimate weapon for winning pointless arguments with the folks back east.
And what else have you got to do on these long November nights?
