A couple of weeks ago when it was very cold (single digits with frigid wind chills), my mom called as I was working on putting the hay markets together, and the first words out of her mouth were, “Is it cold enough for you?”
My smart aleck response was, “Well, it is January. … Yes. Plenty cold.” I’m not a fan of winter and would rather deal with heat than cold any day of the week. Plus, if you have livestock, winter makes caring for them much harder. The only blizzard I want is one that comes from Dairy Queen!
On the radio station recently, a representative from the National Weather Service office in Dodge City, Kansas, visited with the on-air personality, and they discussed how hard forecasting is and how impressive the science is behind the forecasts, but how predictions can be hit or miss. I chuckled to myself and thought, “Isn’t that the truth.” Winter storms are difficult to predict, especially when there’s precipitation involved. It can either fall or not. It definitely would be a hard job to have and remain positive.
In my area of the world, January high temperatures can range from the 50-degree mark (Fahrenheit) to around 30. In reality, after a string of days with highs in the teens and 20s, 50 degrees feels like a heat wave. No complaints from me for a warmer day.
Last year I interviewed weather consultant Jeff Hutton, and he shared with me a few things to do to keep safe and be weather aware. First, find the most reliable source for information. The National Weather Service has offices around the country, and there’s always someone there monitoring conditions. They’re my go to.
Second, remain weather aware when working outdoors, especially for those out in the elements, and have a plan for where to go for shelter. Be familiar with weather terminology and what it means when it comes to severe weather. Turn the radio on every so often to listen for station information. Sure, those streaming services are nice, but local radio stations will have the dreaded buzzer noise for severe weather, and it’ll get your attention.
Cold weather and snow require more forethought and a heightened awareness as conditions can change quickly. Hutton suggested to me in his interview to check out the long-range forecasts and plan accordingly if cattle or feed need to be moved to an area with more protection from the elements.
“In preparation of, perhaps a blizzard, a week or week and a half, two weeks out—if they’re still out on the wheat or grass or whatever, if still feeding—prepare the livestock for some shelter,” he said in our interview. “Either having to move them, get them out of there or provide extra feed.”
Electricity in the winter is critical to those in rural areas. Wells won’t run without electricity, and heat sources in barns and other buildings of the farm or ranch are needed by livestock and humans during cold temperatures.
“A lot of farmsteads have generators, but some, if they lose power, they may not get power for a week or two just because of their location, but especially in winter storms,” Hutton said. “If we’re looking at a lot of icing, prepare for that possibility of power outages that could extend it for days on end.”
Check out my full story here, https://hpj.com/2024/03/15/being-weather-aware-takes-a-little-plannin/.
As aggravating as winter weather is for me, don’t forget to take a second to enjoy it. Heck, even dig that smartphone out of your coverall pocket and snap a few pics of the ice on the fence line or the sun dogs in the sky. Appreciate all that’s in front of you in the moment.
Kylene Scott can be reached at 620-227-1804 or kscott@hpj.com.
