When it comes to grey skies, Okanaganites aren香蕉视频直播檛 wusses.

We spend the vast majority of winter snug under a blanket of mist that wipes out all traces of light from the skies above.

Some head to the mountains for a blue-sky reprieve. But for those of us who don香蕉视频直播檛 find joy in snow the only choice is to grin and bear it, keeping in mind it isn香蕉视频直播檛 really too oppressive a payment when the valley香蕉视频直播檚 glorious summers are taken into consideration.

Hot days punctuated by lake dips and lackadaisical beach visits mean everything.

The food and wine is great. The outdoor experience is unparalleled. That is the lure of Okanagan life.

Or that used to be the case.

In recent years we香蕉视频直播檝e come to expect dark clouds of smoke rolling into the valley, choking out all signs of sun and filling mouths with the taste of ash. The remnants of forests have to be wiped from one香蕉视频直播檚 face every night, lest they leave an imprint on pillow cases.

It香蕉视频直播檚 wretched. The sky simply shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 taste like a bad barbecue. The sight of sun shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be a novelty. The mountains, be they ever-so-brown should be seen in their full glory, not hidden under a veil of soot.

It香蕉视频直播檚 enough to test the most murk-resilient woman香蕉视频直播檚 will to stay put.

A lot of that decision is hinged on the idea that next year won香蕉视频直播檛 be the same, but these conditions are increasingly being referred to as the deceivingly banal sounding 香蕉视频直播渘ew normal.香蕉视频直播�

If scientists are to be trusted, these smoky days may be just the tip of the melting iceberg.

Global warming helped fuel the hottest year on record in 2016, with greenhouse gas concentrations reaching a new high, according to a report released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Bloomberg is reporting the document that was prepared by almost 500 scientists from around the world, indicates there were more major tropical cyclones than usual, longer droughts and less snow cover.

I香蕉视频直播檓 no climate scientist, but I think this might mean there we will more sooty skies ahead for our valley.

So what now? If the die is cast, and we香蕉视频直播檙e on an increasingly warming planet, how do we adapt? What can we do to ensure that the lives we香蕉视频直播檝e all built in this valley are still tolerable?

South of the border the conversation is still around whether or not there is a thing called global warming, but up here our governments have taken a different tack.

They acknowledge change is afoot, so now I香蕉视频直播檇 like to start hearing more about how that will play out in their policy making.

And I want to hear it soon. This 香蕉视频直播渘ew normal香蕉视频直播� isn香蕉视频直播檛 keeping me in vitamin D, and I香蕉视频直播檓 getting more cranky as the days wear on.

I香蕉视频直播檇 rather look to the future with some hope than stare at the skies above like Chicken Little and wonder what香蕉视频直播檚 next.