Mother Nature and Its Effects

Mother Nature has shown her teeth recently and as a result we have been left in some difficult situations.  We travel to and from a variety of places every day and our schedules can get thrown out the window when we encounter issues.  Snow storms, heavy rain, heat waves, and numerous other events can cause delays and force us to change plans even when they do not affect the area we live in. 

The Global Economy

Products are specialized and produced in different areas of the world and ship to end users through a variety of means.  Even though we often do not think about this, it can be the reason for a product shortage without us even realizing it.  A tsunami in the Pacific Ocean can cause shipping delays which eventually leads to a store not being able to restock an item in a timely manner.  These shipping delays can cause congestion at ports, railway hubs, and truck depots which will only exacerbate the situation.  Over the last few years we have seen frustration from consumers because of this.  To that end, next time you see something is out of stock at the store spend a few minutes to consider the reason.   The root cause could be a major weather event or incident that occurred months ago. 

Vacation Travel

The past few weeks have been disastrous for the airline industry.  The amount of daily cancelations are at a record high which is effecting consumer confidence in the industry and driving expenses up at the same time.  When most of us think about flight cancelations due to poor weather we usually make assumptions that are not always true.  A lot of times we think that it will not take that long for a storm to pass or for snowplows to do their jobs, but we do not consider the big picture.  Whenever a flight is delayed or cancelled an airplane and its flight crew schedules are disrupted.  This crew might have three flights in one day and if one is cancelled the other two will have to be cancelled as well.  There is not an unlimited number of planes and pilots in every city and an airlines schedules are designed to be efficient.   A flight might get cancelled in California because the plane that is meant to fly there it is stuck in Chicago because of weather.  When you consider the size and scope of the airlines industries logistical challenges it really is amazing how they plan and make things work.  If a flight is cancelled and everyone on it and everyone one three other flights all need new transportation, that can be a lot to figure out.  That is why having trust and confidence in your air carrier matters.  The companies that have success solve these problems often and efficiently, although it does come with a lot of frustration.

Daily Travel

Can you go a week without you or any coworker being late to the job?  Odds are the answer is no.  Things happen on a day to day basis that can cause us to fall behind schedule and poor weather can often be the cause.  Heavy rain, high winds, or a large amount of snow fall can come out of nowhere and make us late.  These can sometimes be planned for and other times they are a complete surprise.  Almost all of us have forgotten to check the weather report in the evening and woken up to a surprise.  Additionally, the meteorologists are not perfect and can sometimes be wrong in their predictions.   There is no amount of technology or no engineering marvel that can defeat the elements.  We invent windshield wipers so we can see, we have vehicles with all-wheel drive,  and have specialized equipment like snowplows to deal with the wrath of nature but all of these are designed to accommodate the weather not to defeat it.  One day someone might invent a way to control the weather but until that day comes we are at its mercy.  We must accept this and be understanding that it is a factor beyond our control.

There is no perfect place to live and no ideal climate.  Every region of the country has its positives and negatives.  Just when we think a place is paradise a major weather disaster occurs and reminds us that we are powerless to control Mother Nature.  We must understand that it is a random factor in our lives and prepare to cope with whatever comes our way.  Plan and prepare and everything should be fine.  However, if it does cause a delay remember not to get too upset.  Look at it as a challenge to be conquered and try to be positive.  Finally, never plan to be late but do not get upset if you are tardy once in a while.