Welcome to Jacksonville, Illinois, where all in one day there will be snow on the ground, sixty mile per hour winds, and one forming tornado. Those who live here like to say, “Mother Nature is feeling loopy today” or other things that are harmless jokes about the weather. Making light jokes out of this situation is best if we plan on bearing through the rest of this cold front.
In December 2013, just as Christmas was approaching, everyone wondered if it would be a white Christmas. These worries were put to rest when we had snow covering the ground. As the New Year came, the cold weather decided to stay and made it one cold New Year. Everyone here, thinking positively, was wishful that the cold was just a passing phase before spring, but those are the kind of thoughts that leave you disappointed. It may only be the end of February, but this weather is ridiculous. Being relieved and wearing shorts when it’s forty-five degrees outside because it’s better than negative twenty and feels like summer is crazy. That’s how we “Jacksonvillians” adapted to this ballistic weather, and when summer hits, no one will or should complain about how hot it is. Going from negative weather to a high of thirty or forty degrees feels like a vacation for the time being. Living here in Jacksonville and having major shifts in the weather really makes you appreciate each season that we have and how we have a designated time for each season.
Be thankful that we live where we live and be aware that other places have things worse. If it was up to me, we would have a high of ninety every day, but some things are nonnegotiable. Over here in Jacksonville, we have gotten used to the fact that it’s still February and there will be a few cold days. So if you are planning on visiting, the only piece of advice to give is: bring a coat and an umbrella!