Catalina Mountains, Arizona

Postcard US-4029693 to Belarus shows a storm brewing in the Catalina Mountains at Tucson, Arizona. Snow can be seen on the mountain peaks behind the Saguaro Cactus. Photo by Ray Manley.

Countdown to 2015

The countdown to 2015 is on, and LasVegas is expecting a record of 340,000 visitors in this New Year's Eve, despite of a forecast of freezing temperature and snow.

More than 80,000 fireworks will light up the night sky, shooting from the rooftops of MGM Grand,
Aria, Planet Hollywood, Caesars Palace, The Venetian, Treasure Island and Stratosphere, in a 7 minute and 11 second synchronized show.

Postcard US-3087107 to China shows a collage photo that includes many major landmark hotels and casinos in Las Vegas under the fireworks.

Update: The anticipated snow did not materialized. Only bursts of spectacular fireworks filled the sky, ushering in a brand new year.

Fireworks from Planet Hollywood and Aria after countdown to 2015.

Winter Solstice Festival

Postcard DE-3748381 from Germany arrived with a message "I love snow" on December 22 when meteorological winter starts in the Northern Hemisphere. However, there is no white Christmas in sight as the temperature at McCarran International Airport reached a record high at 22.8°C or 73°F today.

Winter Solstice Festival (冬至), one of the most important seasonal festivals celebrated in China and other East Asia countries during the winter solstice, falls on Monday, December 22 in 2014. Since the winter solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year, the festival celebrates the beginning of a period when the daylight hours are getting longer with an increase of positive energy pouring in from the sun. The favorite snacks during the festival are dumplings in the Northern China, wantons in the Eastern China, and red bean sweet rice cakes in the Southern China.

Möge Dir Jede Schneeflocke Einen Wunsch Erfüllen

Postcard CH-217828 from Switzerland was the first holiday card I received for the 2014 season. "May every snow flake fulfill you a wish," says Santa on the card. However, the recent weather in Las Vegas has been unseasonably warm with a high forecast at 75°F or 24°C and a low at 47°F or 8°C for tomorrow. It will be a while before we see any snow.

Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort at the nearby Mount Charleston was scheduled its opening this Friday on November 28, 2014; but the warm weather has pushed back the opening date to December 5, 2014 as the earliest as the daytime temperature is not cold enough to keep snow frozen, even with the help of snow machines.

Winter on Lake Michigan

Postcard US-2615869 to Finland shows a winter scene on Lake Michigan. However, when I bought this postcard during a layover at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport on August 27, 2013, I had no idea that the incoming winter in Chicago could be the 8th snowiest in history by early February, 2014. The unusual repeated arctic cold air assaults have over 60% of Lake Michigan frozen. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter "Biscayne Bay" is working to break ice on the southern Lake Michigan.

For Finnish people who are no strangers to a cold weather, here are the forecasts for Chicago and Helsinki in comparison.

Weather forecast for Chicago, IL

Weather forecast for Helsinki, Finland

Finnish Winter Activities

Postcard FI-1968291 from Finland shows typical Finnish winter activities. Ice swimming in Finland is a tradition connected to the sauna culture where the activity of swimming occurs during the winter season, either in outdoor open water or unheated pools. Equally entertaining and challenging is Ice fishing where you try to catch fish with lines, hooks or spears through holes on a frozen water body. Skiing is another popular winter sport. However, due to recent warm weather, snows were melted in some parts of Central Finland, which makes skiing impossible.

Winter in Colorado

Postcard US-2578514 from Denver, Colorado shows a typical winter scene there. Winters can range from mild to occasional bitter cold, with common snowfalls, averaging 53.5 inches or 136 cm for 1981−2010. Temperature can get as high as 50°F or 10°C at day and as low as 0°F  or −18°C at night. During the first 9 days from January 1 to January 9 in 2014, the highest temperature was 61°F or 16°C and the lowest was -4°F or -20°C with a total precipitation of 0.16 in. or 0.4 cm.

Happy Holidays from the Netherlands

The holiday spirits continue with today's new arrival NL-2237831. On the back of the card are many snow flakes from a rubber stamp.