Here it is the longest day of the year and I am just now finding time to write my blog for today. The dictionary says zephyr is a light wind. It also says it is a westerly wind. Well in PEI we almost always have a wind. That is good for a few things. It helps keep mosquitoes away in open areas. In the forested or sheltered areas you are on your own. The wind also helps to bring down the humidity down which tends to keep our summer days at a good level of comfort.
The wind also helps to move the wind turbines. Considering we have no rivers from which to produce electricity, it is good that the wind blows steady enough to generate a significant amount of energy. The technology is not yet available to store that energy for use on calm days, but on the windy days, we can reduce our reliance on offshore power. While there is some public objection to wind farms, there is no doubt that they can produce some of our much needed eletricity.
The down side of the wind is that even on some of the warmest days, it is often a bit chilly on the beach. So if you plan to see a sunset on the beach (highly recommended on the north shore until the end of July), you should bring a sweater or windbreaker with you.
These days, the wind is the least of our concerns. The weatherman says it has rained 2 of 3 days for the past 2 months. We need to see more sun so that tourists will be more enticed to come visit PEI. Fear not, the good weather is coming – so make your plans.