This winter's weather has been both bizarre and extreme. Often rocketing from a high of plus 7 degrees to a low of negative 20 all in the space of 24 hours, it has created many challenges for snow plows, hydro crews and schools. One moment it is flooding, then freezing creating black ice and causing 70 car pileups, then snowing heavily...then it starts all over again.
Recently we've experienced 100 km/hour winds to add to the mix. That led to an interesting discussion with the kids about how strong the winds would have to be to lift someone off their feet. According to science.howstuffworks.com a 100 pound person can be moved by 65 km/hour winds. The concept of little dogs and little people being literally swept off their feet by the wind was a wild and scary concept for little minds to comprehend.
I came across this youtube video of a man trying to be swept off his feet at Mt. Washington in over 165 km winds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wWrdwZpzvk It just reminds us that the power of nature is so much greater than any strength we have. The need to both respect and exercise caution in the extreme weather we are having has never been clearer than this wild winter.