Think Geelong’s winter just past was particularly cold?
Well, if you did, like everybody else, then you’re surprisingly wrong, according to the city’s leading weather man.
The local average daily temperature for winter 2017 was actually just a whisker off the long-term normal – and that whisker was on the high side as well, says Geelong Weather Services’ Lindsay Smail.
Say what? After all those frosts and bone-chilling days? Those months of continual heater use?
Double Take asked Lindsay (pictured) to explain why the local consensus was wrong.
He mostly blamed strong winds and above-average rain in August for affecting “people’s perception” of winter in its entirety.
“I can’t change the figures but maybe this helps to explain it,” Lindsay offered.
Double Take expects the answer will leave local brass monkeys scratching their heads – especially since that’s all they have left to scratch!
Another consequence of winter’s chill might also have emerged in local law and order circles, of all places.
The evidence is a police call for information to identify several males (one of whom is pictured) for questioning over the heist of five Robitussin Dry Cough mixture bottles from a Geelong chemist.
The haul, valued at $67.50, was swiped on 24 August, police alleged.
Truly desperate types have been known to consume cough mixture as an alternative to cheap booze, of course.
But given the “perception” of an abnormally cold winter and the documented local outbreak of influenza, it’s odds on the alleged thieves were after medication rather than inebriation.
Anyone with information about someone’s cough clearing up suspiciously fast should contact Crime Stoppers.
