When normal is news

Our top story today is that the weather is perfectly normal. This is usually the coldest week of the winter. Our fascination with normalcy reminds me of an editor’s suggested headline when someone urged a news organization cover more good news: “No plane crashes at airport today.”

Over the last few months or so the top weather story was the weather wasn’t normal. Now the chatter is that it is. What can we conclude from this? If you’re in the business of talking about the weather, you’re living the good life.

Here’s a little survey you might recognize:

The last time that survey appeared on these sacred pages, it was hot, humid, and normal. Go ahead and answer and we’ll compare results. No peeking.