Quote:
Originally Posted by Normal
Arctic blast is being changed to Polar Vortex
Pineapple Express sounds better as Atmospheric River
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Normal
Arctic blast is being changed to Polar Vortex
Pineapple Express sounds better as Atmospheric River
|
True that. But in Minnesota they were never referred to as an "arctic blast". Instead, "Canadian high" was the descriptor of choice for as long as I can remember. Canadian Highs were welcome: they usually came after a period of bad weather (blizzard or several-day snowfall) and were characterized by clear, bright blue skies, cold(er) temps and wind. Good skiing weather, and especially welcome after being cooped up in the house for days on end while Mother Nature buried everything in sight with a white blanket.
Then, maybe 20 years ago or so, we heard no more about "Canadian Highs". Instead, "Polar Vortex" came into vogue. Unlike Canadian Highs, Polar Vortex forecasts came with ominous warnings about falling temps, often with descriptions of what frostbite consisted of, sober advice to parents about how to keep Junior bundled up, in sight of parents or caretakers AT ALL TIME when outside, things like that.
Bottom line: Canadian Highs were welcome events. Polar Vortexes were not. But they were just two different names for precisely the same weather event.
Heard an interview with one of the local weather guys in Duluth, MN, about the name change. He admitted that it had been done precisely for the shock value.