“Some people are weather wise, some are otherwise.” — Ben Franklin
Although unofficial, Memorial weekend brought summer to the foothills. Temperatures in the low 90s were an invitation to backyard barbecues and a dip into the pool. Nighttime lows did not dip much below a mild 60 degrees. As the week progressed it felt more like typical June. The mornings have been cool, with fog that has burned off and left afternoons in the 80s. This isn’t actually “June gloom.” Our neighbors on the coast wouldn’t agree, where fog has remained throughout the day. Oh well, we have clear skies and mountains and they have beaches!
Think about the last time you went to the post office. Did the weather come to mind? Let’s go back a few years, to colonial days – 1753 precisely. Benjamin Franklin would go to post office for just that reason.
Many historians consider him the first real weatherman. He was appointed Postmaster General of the Colonies. With this position he able to collect weather data from postmasters across the country and even ship masters out at sea.
These contacts enabled him to compile accurate information on tornado progression and even ocean currents. This made the post office the only country-wide weather organization in colonial times.
So what can I tell you about the weather here in the Crescenta Valley for the upcoming week? Nothing new … more of the same. Maybe a trip to the post office could change the forecast? I don’t really think so. But, for all you gardeners, according to Farmers Almanac’s weather lore: “If June is sunny, the harvest will come early.”
Sounds good at our house …lemons, tomatoes, and grapes … oh my!
Sue Kilpatrick is a longtime CV resident and amateur weather watcher. Reach her at suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.