Wednesday, I saw a couple of guys working on a sign at the Family Dollar store on East Lincolnway. The lift they were on was shaking in the 45mph gusts and it made me glad that I work in a studio on the third floor of the ANB building downtown on Capitol at 20th. Even so, it was cold and I could hear the constant howling of the wind through the windows.

Later, I was caught by surprise when I opened up the door of my new Subaru Forrester and the wind ripped it out of my hands and threw it open and I wondered if there was any damage to the hinges.

We know how the wind can blow over semis and other vehicles here in Wyoming. It got me wondering what other jobs are dangerous to life and limb. Window washers, roofing, pilots, or anybody trying to throw a tarp down.

And then there’s the mental component. We know about the wind chill factor and may feel the barometric pressure in our joints. But some people get very irritated and nasty with cold, windy weather it can “affect people's mood and health, even precipitating suicides, crimes, and accidents.”

 

“In parts of the Mediterranean, a warm humid wind called The Sirocco has such an impact on behaviour that people convicted of murder were once given shorter sentences if the crime was committed while the wind was blowing.”

 

Commit the crime and then blame altered ion concentrations and the effects of positive ions for increased tension and irritability and see if the judge will let you off.

Lecturer in Psychology, Dr. Rachael Sharman says: “It mightn't actually make people crazy but there's evidence it affects our moods. Studies found that if we're in a bad mood, the wind will make it worse.”

Even though there is hardly ever any wind in Wyoming (sarcasm: level 10), cut some slack to those with bad attitudes. For some, it's more than just a bad hair day.

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