It’s a beautiful morning.
Cold, yes, but the mountains are spiffy in their fresh white frosting. The sun is a brilliant orange/yellow orb in the southernmost sky and its rays dance across the sea.
A fine morning indeed...until I hear the CBC Radio host give the current forecast and weather conditions for Vancouver Island.”
“Minus-one in Port Hardy, the same in Comox and Nanaimo, and MINUS-FIVE in Campbell River!” Gregor Craigie announces oh so cheerfully.
Minus-five, are you kidding? There’s not even frost on my windshield!
Now the last time I saw Craigie in Campbell River was several years ago when all the “important media” descended on our local courthouse to cover a murder trial. So, now, I’m wondering if he even recalls that Campbell River IS, in fact, located on the same shoreline as the other two communities.
And, if so, why oh why would the temperature be the same for two communities located hundreds of kilometres apart, but the one in-between is four degrees colder?
(I know, it all seems trite, but what else do we Canadians have to moan about, eh?)
Then I remember Radio Dude is sitting in a cozy Victoria studio mouse-clicking through the Environment Canada website for his information.
And when you do visit the page for the city’s weather, you will notice the key as to why it’s always “so much colder” in Campbell River through fall, winter and spring, and “typically warmer” in the summer.
It’s because Campbell River’s official temperature is recorded at the airport. You know, the airport that’s located eight kilometres outside downtown and 109 metres above sea level.
In short, the temperature at our airport rarely is the same as the temperature where the majority of people live – along the waterfront.
Granted, Environment Canada also takes its temperature readings at airports in Port Hardy, Comox, Nanaimo and just about everywhere else.
That’s fine, but in larger centres, such as Victoria, there are four different locations that monitor temperatures, including the airport and harbour front where the temperatures are often several degrees apart.
What I’m getting at is the desire to have a temperature gauge for downtown Campbell River. City hall would be a good spot because there’s already a webcam on the roof which shows views of downtown through the city’s website.
A digital thermometer, connected to an existing computer, wouldn’t cost much and we could even provide Campbell River’s actual temperature to cash-strapped Environment Canada for nothing.
And the benefit? Well, foremost, other Islanders and visitors won’t always be wondering “why it’s so cold (or too darn hot) in Campbell River.”
Secondly, it would stop at least one reporter from complaining about the weather.