The problem with facts is that they can frequently be boring. Unless it is a fun piece of trivia or an area of interest, a fact can be unintriguing.
That makes sense. We live in a world of narratives. Stories. Sitcoms, movies, plays, and even reality TV are all based on narratives. Soap Operas do this best. You may recognize some of the narrative elements. Things like Theme, Plot, Characters, Conflict, Setting, Point of View, and Style.
If narratives, or stories, are the fruits of teaching. Facts are the vegetables.
Not as tasty on their own. Often needs to be prepared properly. And some people just flat don’t like them.
But you’ve gotta eat your veggies!
Because a diet of only fruit is incomplete.
Reality Bites
No, not the movie with Ethan Hawke and Winona Ryder. Actual reality. It can be not fun.
This includes learning about some things. Like doing your taxes correctly. And memorizing Pythagorean’s Theorem. Or reading the instructions on that piece of furniture you have to put together.
But the best stuff can be the boring stuff. Not to learn, maybe, but to know.
Doing your taxes correctly? Maybe you get a refund? Money! Memorizing Pythagorean’s Theorem helps you cut lumber at the correct length. Reading those instructions makes sure you end up with a desk and not a wide, wobbly, shelf.
And who doesn’t like extra money, correctly cut lumber, and a working desk?
But facts can also be not fun. Too much sugar causes health problems (like diabetes), cars with no fuel can’t go, and the moon is slowly drifting away from the earth and slowing our rotational rate so that, at one point in time, one side of the earth will never see the moon. Sad!
A similar sad, but very true fact, is that where you live, right now, probably doesn’t have unique, “only where I live…” kind of weather.
Despite what others may report….
The only state with a truly unique weather fact is probably Alaska. It is the only state with a record low of nearly -80F and a record high of 100F.
Everywhere else, the swings in the weather are very “precedented.”
But, It’s Fun to Say, Nick!
Sure. There is no doubting that. Those “Only in __my state__ can the weather go from 90 to 45 like it saw a state trooper” memes are popular for a reason. You’re local TV weather person has probably posted one a few times. Cheesy and cute.
But not accurate.
That happens frequently as a cold front passes many places. Particularly places near a source of extra heat (downslope, warm water) ahead of a potent cold front. The “only in” isn’t geographical, it is situational.
A more accurate way of meme’ing this situation would be, “With a strong downslope ahead of a potent cold front it means the temperature will go from 90 to 45 like it saw a state trooper”
Accurate! And still cheesy and cute.
Because this situation happens up and down the Rockies. From Montana, to the Dakota, Nebraska, in Colorado, Kansas, and even in Texas and Oklahoma. It has happened in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, too.
Take a look at some of these temperature spread from wunderground.com:
It works with storms and snow, too!
“Only a cold season severe weather outbreak ahead of a strong cold front with wrap-around moisture means tornadoes Monday and snow Tuesday”
Accurate! Informative! And still fun!
Things like this can happen nearly everywhere east of the Rockies between October and April.
But, Nick, only in __ my state__ can there be four seasons in a day!
You mean ‘only in every state’ because it can happen in every state! As a mid-latitude cyclone moves from west to east the air ahead of the area of low pressure is warmer because the flow is from the south. This can lead to temperatures jumping up 10F to 20F warmer than average.
Behind the system the flow of air si from the north. This can lead to temperatures 10F to 20F cooler than average.
This can happen anywhere – from North Dakota to Florida. Maine to Texas.
Everyone Wants to Feel Special
I get it, it makes your home feel more special if the weather there feels more unique. But the weather is rarely unique. Climates can be unique to a region, sure! But weather is not. If there is one thing I’ve learned about the weather, it is that it can do almost anything if you give it enough time and energy.
What makes __your state__ unique is the people and places in it.
— Only in Mississippi can you find the birth place of Elvis!
— Only in Louisiana can you go gator hunting in the morning, drink with lunch, and enjoy soulful jazz music in the evening in the Garden District!
— Only in Alabama can you find a college football team named after water with an elephant for a mascot!
Those are unique, in-my-state-only things! And they are accurate!
So take pride in those things. They matter. Just because the temperature changes, or the weather is goofy doesn’t make your state mor unique. It just gives you proof that it exists in Space & Time.
