So. Madison is experiencing its snowiest winter on record.Some people think of this as a good thing:
I hereby declare this the most spectacular Madison winter since climatologists had the foresight to start keeping detailed local records back in the latter 19th century. Until now, my all-time favorite was the winter of 1978-79, when 76.1 inches of snow fell on Madison to break a seasonal record that had stood for almost 100 years.
Yesterday’s gorgeous persistent flurries have pushed us well past that total. At this writing, the National Weather Service’s Milwaukee/Sullivan office is listing the Madison seasonal total at 79.2 inches. With another one to three inches forecast overnight into tomorrow, and some meteorologists projecting a possibility of yet more snow for next Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, surpassing 80 inches appears all but certain and even 90 may not be beyond the realm of possibility before the arrival of the spring thaw
No more. Please. No more.
But I’m here to do more than just bitch about the snowy (and extremely fucking cold) winter. You see, if we’re setting records for snow here in the upper Mississippi valley, then what happens in the spring down the river? If we in the central US have a particularly rainy spring, then, uh, oops.
Why do I mention this? Simple. Because, if we can think ahead and, you know, prevent disastrous flooding, then that’s something we should get on top of. I’m lookin’ at you, FEMA. You know, start checking out river levees now, and making sure you have shoring-up supplies positioned for ready access if need be.
This is the sort of thing FEMA should already be doing, I’d imagine. However, given the total fucking incompetence that this administration has demonstrated time and again, I wouldn’t feel safe having faith in them. Whaddya think?