Dear Editor: Re: After sunny summer, the rains are coming, Our View, Burnaby NOW, Aug. 23.
Congratulations on managing to write an entertaining editorial about, out of all possible topics, the weather. Regarding this year's hot, dry and sunny summer, you note that "we've been lucky" and that it has been a "glorious summer."
But, could it be that, instead of luck, we should credit the global warming phenomenon that several letter writers pontificated about recently in your newspaper? If so, I am wholeheartedly in favour of the said phenomenon and hope that the warming trend continues well into the winter.
Meanwhile, I am not sure what to make of your implied recommendation that, during the remaining summer days, we should get "plenty of Vitamin D" while slathering on "lots of sunscreen." Thank you for your concern. I promise not to burn my skin but, given that during this time of the year the rays aren't as intense anymore, will skip the sunscreen to ensure that enough sunshine gets through to generate the Vitamin D benefits.
However, you are correct that "come November, most of us will be missing the warm rays..." But, wouldn't it be great if, due to the much-publicized global warming, the sun would go on shining and supplying us with a healthy dose of Vitamin D throughout winter? I, for one, would gladly trade our usually rainy Christmas for more sunshine and less precipitation. I would even give up the occasional white Christmas for Australian style Christmas.
Sadly, the warming is not sufficiently global, and thoughts of warm winter in Canada amount to nothing more than upside-down wishful thinking. So, I will heed the advice of the meteorologists that you quote and dig out my umbrella to prepare for the coming "Pacific storm track." And I will keep trying to save enough money for a Christmastime trip to Australia.
Eva Derton
Burnaby
