Global Warming Hits Williston -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Wow -- a beautiful, beautiful night.

I woke up about midnight, eager to see what was happening in the Bakken. The most gorgeous snowfall. No traffic, of course, except for the occasional oil truck. It looks like something out of a storybook with the snow gently falling, and really quite warm. My thermometer shows 29 degrees; the downtown bank thermometer shows 33 degrees.

When I was growing up in Williston we had snow all the time from early November to sometime in the spring. But as the years went by, there was less and less snow. I don't recall getting much snow in November during the late 60's and, of course, after that I left Williston for 30-some years and seldom visited. The shop owners in downtown Williston told me it would be a severe winter this year; it's not harsh yet, but it's early or on time, depending on your perspective.

Tonight, it reminds me of the snow we had in the 50's and early 60's.