With a long, deep freeze stretching from south Texas to Canada and from Montana through New England, North Americans are shivering and observing some chill-generated phenomena.
While most of these occurrences are not good news —accidents, stalled planes, trains and automobiles, frozen appliances and mechanisms, power down and other mishaps making people’s lives challenging— not all of them are necessarily inauspicious.
So, in the good ole Canuck tradition, let’s look at the potential upside of this uncommonly cold weather.
There is more sex during a cold spell.
U.K. statistical data have shown that the Christmas season is a peak period for conceiving babies, and other studies have shown that men are particularly amorous during winter, with higher testosterone levels and greater attraction to women’s bodies. You might call it, generating heat, the human way!
There may be gains in certain stocks in your portfolio.
During the 2013-14 cold front, Canadian Tire (CTCa.TO) saw an uptick in sales of its snow-related products, which augurs well for its 2018 Q1 results.
In a similar vein, long winter chill gives rise to colds and flu keeping pharmacies, such as Shoppers Drug Mart, owned by Loblaw L.TO), busy. Ditto for Canada Goose’s (GOOS.TO), the seller of the heftiest parkas. Reportedly, and understandably, customers are flocking to its website.
Staying inside may lead to family re-acquaintance.
This, of course, depends on the family. In some cases, it just may mean more Internet usage.
Enjoying the fascinating vistas and unusual sights.
Niagara Falls is a vision of suspended icicles, and all manners of ice and snow formations and its tourism industry have taken an uptick.
Icicles dangling from frozen fountains are quite the sight in Texarkana, Arkansas, New York City’s Bryant Park and even in Savannah, Georgia, where January’s average high is 60 degrees (16 Celsius) but it was 30 (-1 Celsius) last week.
Social media scenes of people throwing boiling water into the air, where it instantly freezes and falls to the ground as ice, have been something to wonder at. But one scene is particularly popular. In Thompson, Man., Instagram user Jo Traill tested the effects of extreme cold on a steaming bowl of ramen noodles. The noodles froze immediately, suspending a fork in midair.
The extreme cold in Calgary made Penguins, those creatures whose home is the Subantarctic, indoor creatures at the Calgary Zoo.
Chunks of ice floated down the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan made “ice balls” with its rolling waves.
Yes, we’re certainly seeing a winter wonderland on steroids this year. Not exactly ideal of habitation, navigation or transportation, but at least in some cases, a feast for the eyes and grist for wonder.
The best news of all? This cold snap should be ending tonight.
