“For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today is Thanksgiving Day. The Civil War was raging when Abraham Lincoln issued a Presidential proclamation to place this day on the calendar. It was to be celebrated hence forward, be the nation at war or peace. Families and friends would come together no matter whether the weather was stormy or fair. It was a time to give thanks for all the goodness of life.

Ever hear of The National Wild Turkey Foundation? Me neither. Well, according to them, turkey gobbling is affected by weather conditions.

First off, a gobble is the sound a male ¬– or tom – turkey makes when communicating with his lady friends, which can often be heard a mile away. Females make a clicking sound instead of a gobble.

A mild and clear sunshiny morning is the prime time for turkey-talking, i.e. gobbling. As temperatures begin to rise, the gobbling tapers off and may shut down. Late-spring and early-fall sunshine usually puts turkeys in loafing mode. Heavy rains or storms can shut down turkey activity, although thunder often makes toms gobble. Significant cold fronts can put turkeys off and suppress gobbling. One could conclude then that local turkeys will be celebrating Thanksgiving 2019 quietly. Rain is in the forecast.

It was predicted that by Thanksgiving Day morning most areas should have received at least 90% of their expected storm total, though scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms or are expected through the day and evening. The forecast includes another rainy storm over the weekend and the possibility of another couple of showers next week.

Happy Thanksgiving & Safe Travels

Sue Kilpatrick is a Crescenta Valley resident and Official Skywarn Spotter
for the National Weather Service.
Reach her at suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick