Irregular Times Diaries: Unfit Discussion

In the northeastern United States, this may go down in history as the year without a winter. Take a look at the experience of the northeastern city of Concord, New Hampshire and you’ll understand why.

Today in Concord, there has been a new record high temperature set: 69 degrees. The previous record high for January 6 was set in 1946 at 57 degrees. That record wasn’t just broken today. It was shattered, pulverized, whipped up in a blender and then baked into a souffle.

It’s not just one day that’s remarkable in this way. The entire season for Concord has been downright unwintry. It is as if autumn never ended, and is trying to stretch its way all the way until springtime.

Oh, sure, there’s still two-thirds of January and all of February and March left, but consider how the winter season is proceeding so far: Only 8.25 percent of the ordinary amount of snow has fallen. By this time of year, 21.8 inches of snow would be expected to have fallen in Concord. Only 1.8 inches of snow actually have fallen.