When people think about Winnipeg, generally they'd think about something in the middle of nowhere (if they even know where it is), probably even more north than Sweden (that's very wrong - same altitude as Lille actually (just north of Paris)) and polar bears. While the first part is at least somewhat accurate, and the second come close at hand if you visit in january, noone would know realise that I right now reside in the most tropical of climates, comparable to Bangkok/Italy/Greece/Yucatan. It's been above 30 for about 1.5 weeks now (and before then it was around 25 for most of the time). 35 for the 4th day in a row now. Naturally, this is not enough for canadians. They like exaggerating, and bringing in the humidex and claims that it's actually 40-something. I'm not even going to start that discussion. 35 degrees is certainly hot enough regardless of humidity. One would think that they'd be satisfied living in one of very few places in the world that can show a dispersion of temperatures of up to 80 degrees in a year. At least I am impressed, without having to distort the temperature scale.
In fact, this place is definitely a place of contrast and surprise. One can't help but wonder what kind of people the first settlers were who came here... Having lived through a winter, next step is equally steep warm temperatures, and since this was before the age of malathion-fogging, mosquitos in cosy abundance. Let's take it from January (since that's when I arrived three years). -40. Driness of unimaginable extent. Difficulties breathing the air. Eyelids that freeze together if you shed a tear. Etc. Then comes spring. This involves rain and wind in unusual amounts. Occasional temperature hikes up to the 25's, to be followed by dips and accompanying snowstorms. In April and May. Snow has been known to fall in June and July too... Cankerworm season! Everyone's favourite. These little worms, seemingly unknown to the rest of the country (except for parts of Saskatchewan), swing themselves down trees like Tarzan, and winnipeggers soon are seen walking in middle of the road, taking wide detours around any tree. So in June, when spring has passed, the trees look ghostly dead, and almost enbalmed, by spiderweb-looking threads, and with very few leaves left, those left perforated thoroughly. I was really worried this year, which was a cankerworm maximum in the cycle, about several of the trees around the Legislature. Studying the little tree-eater online, I learnt that the trees regrow the leaves. And so they did, resulting in rather awesome looking different shades of green in July, perforated deep green mixed with light spring green. June this year was a month of heavy rains and thunderstorms so heavy that I can't describe them. One moment clear, then so much rain that you were soaked to the bone in a few seconds. Roads became rivers. Assiniboine was flooded way above the riverwalk (not as high as last spring though) for a few weeks. The thunderstorms were totally magnificent. Without comparison. The best I've ever experienced.
And then comes July, and the wild weather is being exchanged for soemthing I've only ever experienced a few days in a row, and always while being on vacation - above 30-temperatures. Needless to say, my office is still ridiculously cold. I LOVE it when it is hot. It is an amazing thing to walk out, and being met by a wall of heat. But, I can finally humour all those who think I'm nuts, and reveal that even I can become too hot. Today I suffered rather strong salt deficit, due to the heat. David forced me to eat half a bag of chips, and it actually worked. But before then, I was sweating like a pig, walking around in a dizzy haze, not being able to formulate words let alone sentences in a coherent manner, and feeling about as powerful as a jelly-fish. It wasn't comfortable.
At daytime, I need to close all the windows in my apartment and pull down the blinds, to try to keep the nights coolness in (being about 27 degrees). During a discussion about this with Jason, one of the astronomers, he described how he used to use aluminium-foiled screens in his windows. "Also excellent to prevent alien mind reading", he said. I wonder if I can use that to hide away enough so that the time anomaly surrounding my apartment can be removed (time goes faster in my apartment in the mornings than anywhere else). Anyways. please note that I am NOT complaining about the heat. I'm merely stating that I kind of understand those who do complain about it, a little bit more.
Without going into more details about the winnipeg weather-year, I'm just going to state that this is a place where you'll never be bored by the weather. As opposed to Göteborg, it's there, all the time and it's very tangible. If you don't like it, you wait a little while, and it will have changed into another extreme. Of course, in the winter time, you'll have to wait a bit longer than other times. The sun is always there to cheer you up though. And now, I'm collecting all the heat I can to survive the coming winter. There's plenty to collect. The forecast promises 35 tomorrow, and then around 30 the rest of the week, with occasional dips down to 27. That's good, perhaps I'll manage to take the bike out again then.
