Last year at this time I wrote a piece about winter weather for this space. I got more response from those paragraphs than any of the 100+ profiles that have appeared here in the past seven years. I guess everyone can relate to the weather.
       It is now the Dead of Winter again here in Pennsylvania. The climate data for Pittsburgh reveals that the period 1/19 - 1/28 has the minimum normal temperatures for the year. I assume with confidence that the minimum normal temperatures for most of the United States takes place at much the same time.
       The cold weather and short days make life difficult for everyone. The extended period of wretched weather which almost always occurs at this time in the northern latitudes exacts a physical toll from everyone but more so for those with health problems. The resultant shut in behavior pattern, aka cabin fever, makes us all somewhat irritable and depressed; and also makes a great breeding ground for contagious diseases like the flu. There is always a precipitous increase in hits on this web site with the onset of bad weather. From the midpoint of winter February 2 (groundhog day) there are 46 days to spring.

To find out how the weather effects your body and mind go to the Weather and your health page at Intellicast Weather

The Health page at the weather channel web site also has a lot of good information