Author: Alanna Fichtel
It’s our favorite time of year again – the weather is getting colder!
While some actually enjoy the cold temperatures, the season-changing experience in Ithaca is not very enjoyable. Even though everyone knows coming to Cornell means dealing with the weather, a little more consistency would be nice.
The cold weather came seemingly early this year, which came as a surprise after sunny skies and moderate temperatures fooled us into getting comfortable in our traditional fall attire. But most of us knew this was too good to be true. We were soon reminded how inconsistent the Ithaca weather can be and how much annoyance it can cause.
For those who religiously check their weather apps before getting dressed in the morning, your efforts are honorable but not practical. When you see that it’s 45 degrees in the morning but will be 65 later, how can you dress comfortably for the day? You can’t.
Looking at the weather more than a day or two in advance won’t do you much good, either. On the day it was supposed to be the warmest of the week, you sensibly chose to wear a t-shirt and light jacket. Well, that day probably turned out to be the coldest, and so did you.
If being a little chilly or a little too warm doesn’t bother you, the rain probably does. When there’s not a cloud in the sky when you leave for the day, why would you bring a rain jacket? Hopefully as an experienced Ithacan you know to always carry an umbrella in your backpack in the event of a surprise rainstorm. And when you don’t wear rain boots the day it ends up pouring and wear them the day it’s actually sunny, you vow to make a better decision next time. But you likely won’t be able to.
With perpetually sporadic weather, we’ve gotten used to being inappropriately dressed for the weather. As ridiculous as it is when people wear Ugg boots and winter jackets in early fall, it’s (almost) understandable. It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed, right?
I’m not asking for high temperatures and sunny skies–I know those days are long gone. But a smooth transition between seasons would make dealing with the cold weather easier.
I know I can’t expect much of the weather in Ithaca, but please: do less.
