first time in living memory

I just came back inside after stepping out to feel the wind that has been howling for most of the night. It is gusting over 60Km/hr, as measured by my handheld wind meter. While it is not as strong as the 120Km/hr winds of nine days ago, which shut down the Telecom Tower in the city, it is still far more than I recall.

The words, "So you don't believe in climate change?" popped into my head. I have a feeling that these more extreme weather conditions are not about to become less common anytime soon.

It prompted me to search a little of the weather records and I stumbled across this article that just came in:

Nov 17th, 2006: An iceberg has been spotted from the New Zealand shore for the first time in living memory. Courier Mail

Scientists are trying to determine where it and several other giant chunks drifting in the country's waters originated from. Last year, icebergs were seen in New Zealand water for the first time in 56 years, but couldn't be seen from the shore. On Thursday one was visible from Dunedin on the South Island. It has since moved away, driven by winds and ocean currents.

The floating ice blocks have become a tourist attraction, as sightseers pay up to $NZ500 ($435) each to fly over the icebergs. Theories about where on the Antarctic coastline the icebergs originated have gripped the science community.