I feel a little sheepish writing this post.

In my last blog post, I wrote about how high the temperature was on Christmas was and how we should look forward to the warm new year ahead. When I wrote about “the warm new year,” the latest forecast pretty well showed that temperatures around Loyal, Okla., should stay above 45 degrees or so.  By the time that blog post was ready to go up on my page, however, the outlook had changed. 

On Jan. 2 and again on Jan. 6, temperatures dropped well below freezing. Now in all fairness, before after these dips in the mercury, most days did have high temperatures in the high 40s or low 50s, a trend that as of this writing (I have to make that clear from here on out) will extend on through the next couple of weeks (watch that change now after I wrote that).

The bottom line is that weather conditions can change quickly. We can be hit with sudden shifts, and the only constant is chaos, especially when dealing with a changing climate.

So, what does that mean? Are we really in for a milder January – something that a La Nina pattern like we are in would point toward? Is there a chance that we could see a cold snap like we had last February? After all, last year we were in a La Nina pattern, too. Will the dry conditions plaguing the region continue throughout the month?

You can look at the forecast to get a general idea on these points (I know I should have last week), but as I said earlier, the only constant is chaos when it comes to the weather. That’s why we should all put some thought into how we would handle a possible cold snap. Have we brushed up our drought plans in case these dry conditions do continue? Have you given any thought to “firewiseing” your farm and ranch to better prepare for possible wildfires? 

Fire danger is especially high during these times, and it really is a good idea to be prepared — just like it’s a good idea to look at the forecast one last time before you publish a weather blog. It’s one thing to have egg on your face when you write a bone-headed statement. It’s something else altogether when you are caught unprepared for extreme weather.