Give it to Phil

Last Friday was Groundhog Day, when the old Phil came out of its burrow after weeks of hibernation, to predict an early spring rather than six more weeks of winter or so they say. It is an old legend that is followed for years during this time of the year in the U.S. to tie our present to the past and most importantly tying our weather forecast to the beast. Animals, in general, have a sense of direction, sense to weather changes and a sense to acclimate to their surroundings. Birds migrate long distances every year around the same time as a flock and they don’t get lost nor use a GPS system to navigate themselves. Bears, hogs and similar animals hibernate during long winters to protect themselves from freezing cold without the use of thermals or heaters and they come out on time for spring without alarm clocks to wake them up.

Technology has advanced tremendously these days that we can predict the arrival of approaching storms, earthquakes or showers or snow for that matter. Meteorologists predict the weather and climate changes using their latest technology and tools. If you watch the weather forecast on TV, you would be amazed at the details they provide on the weather. It would be to a point that it would seem that the weather person traveled in time to the future and saw what happened in terms of weather and has come back to deliver the news to us.

Past couple of weeks, the weather folks called in for snow showers and said that it was definitely bound to happen except to see a bright sunny day with warm temperatures. I have learned to take these forecasts with a grain of salt (and some on my driveway). If the possibility of what they say would happen is very low, then why bother to have one? I am better off listening to Phil (Groundhog) and Bill (Blue Bill Birds) who are likely to predict exactly as to whether spring is around the corner or if six more weeks of winter ahead, than to listen to the forecasters on TV and Radio. What is the use of such advancement in technology when we cannot do any better than five sensed animals? I don’t know about you but I always carry an umbrella and wind cheater with me to use as needed than to believe the forecast.