Bajan Winter

Two weeks ago, weather dominated the headlines with predictions, forecast and reports! The leading stories I heard on the news were “Snow in Florida”, “Storm Covers the South with Ice and Snow”, “Georgia Gets Snow for the First Time in 3 Decades”, “Snow in South Carolina” and “Blizzard hammers New England, Boston expecting 20 inches of snow”, “Killington Ski Resort in Vermont closed due to cold!”

For the first time I heard the phrase “Bomb Cyclone” when describing the conditions in the north and east coast of the US especially in Boston and New York! I read that some of the moisture that fueled the bomb cyclone came from as far south as the Caribbean!

I wonder if some of that moisture came from Barbados? Who knows, maybe the weather we send north causing bomb cyclones, return to Barbados in the form of cooler weather?

There was a recent article in the Barbados Daily Nation Newspaper that had the following title and captions, “Chilly nights run into the New Year”, “Coldness in the country” and “Cold Nothing New.”

The coldest temperature recorded in Barbados was 59°F or 15.1°C a few years ago (they did not give the date) according to the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and  Hydrology in St. James, Barbados. The lowest temperature last month was 63°F or 17.1°C. Although Barbados does not have a winter, the cooler weather from December to February is “Nothing new.”

Recently after church a 17 year old young lady complained to her mother that she was freezing! She was actually shaking and begged her mother to hug her, as they waited outside, to get warm until she acquiesced. She reminded her daughter that she told her to put on a sweater but as teenagers do, they don’t listen. I found out a few minutes later that the teenager has never been to the US or to Canada and has never been in snow. I checked the temperature a short while later when I got home and it was 78°F. In fairness it was overcast, windy and the air was damp following the morning rain. Still, it was far from cold.

The “cold” weather has caused some businesses to turn off their air conditioners and fans. I have noticed a lot of people wearing long pants and hoodies at night. It is surprising how many Bajans I hear complaining about the cold especially in the evenings. On the other hand, there are a few of them that find the coolness refreshing.

Eric Lewis in his column Looka Lew in the Barbados Nation said, “It so cold that I swear the other night I see a mosquito fly pass me wearing a winter coat.” I ain sure bout dat, but I did see winter jackets on sale at Cave Sheperd, last year they had down jackets! Back in February 2017 I came across Andy, the taxi driver, wearing a down coat because he was a little cold. I haven’t seen him wearing the coat this year but then again, the winter “cold” is just beginning!

To see the post from last year, check out the link ->Bajans Don’t Like Cold Weather