No, it doesn’t snow here. While the East Coast welcomes the winter with wide blankets of white, we Central Coast residents note some rainy days and cooler temperatures, but that’s about all.
Don’t let our local lack of snow stop you from exploring the weather, however. Changing seasons mark a fine time to talk about clouds, wind, sun, and the ways they combine.
If you’re feeling brave, consider going on an early-morning frost hunt. Use those clouds of dragon-like steam puffing from your mouth to jump-start exploration into condensation, precipitation, evaporation, exhalation, or any other sort of -ation that comes up.
If there’s one thing I’ve tried to point out in this column throughout November, it’s that days are packed with opportunities to spark a child’s imagination and interest in the natural world and how we interact with it.
So give the opportunity. Embrace the chill in the air, and ask the kids in your life questions: Why do you think it’s so cold today? What would you do if it snowed here? Do you think it will?
Ryan Miller is executive editor of the Sun. Discovery Corner is a weekly column in the Sun, highlighting events, science activities, and more for the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum at 705 S. McClelland in Santa Maria. Send comments to discoverycorner@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Nov 23-30, 2011.