February clear skies = Brrrrrrr!

The sun is out. The sky is the color of Paul Newman's eyes. The mountains to the east are snow-capped, standing out in stark relief against the blue sky. At first glance, you'd think you could don a light sweater, maybe even just a t-shirt, and head out for a brisk walk, dosing yourself with copious quantities of much-needed Vitamin D. Don't try it. Upon closer investigation, you will notice the frost-covered lawns, the windshields being scraped free of the thick layer of ice that accumulated overnight, and the breath of those poor souls walking to school hanging frozen in the air. Inside my garage, it was 35 degrees - balmy for February. As I dragged my garbage cans to the curb for today's pickup, wearing just a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans, I immediately realized it was much colder than that. A look at my car's thermometer confirmed what my senses had already told me. It was only 26 degrees out. True to form, clear, beautiful skies in the winter in this neck of the woods means you are going to freeze your behind off. Without that protective gray cloud layer, all the heat escapes, and this far north this time of year,the sun is so far away even it can't warm things up much past freezing. But heck, it's sunny, and that's always cause for celebration. Don your warm jacket, pull on a knitted hat, grab your gloves, and go for that walk. Oh, don't forget the ear muffs. You'll need them.