The Weekend After the Storm

 If you recall, we received quite the snowfall Wednesday here.  Roads were treacherous, traffic slow, congested or tangled.  Thursday morning looked like this, above and below.

 Thursday, after work, I trudged through snow more than a foot deep on my way home.  It was beautiful to behold the winter dressing of fresh snow on the shrubs and trees.  The evergreens were weighed down, branches bowing to the ground laden with heavy snow.  

The young show us how it's done!  They don't complain about the snow and the slippery roads.  No, they celebrate the season!  From snowballs, to chases in the mid calf deep (for adults) snow, to tobogganing like these exuberant children above.  I never thought about how perfect this hill near home would be for tobogganing!  Looks like fun!

 It also makes for terrific winter photography!

Today, Saturday, it is clear and sunny if not a bit brisk at -14 Celsius.  The snow is here to stay.  I don't mind that so much now but once January and February roll around I really miss the Chinook winds of southern Alberta.  There, snow doesn't stay through the winter.  The Chinook is a warm wind that melts the snow away, often making for days when a zipped parka is just too warm.  Imagine!

 It looks pretty now....

To learn more about Chinooks visit:  http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/elements/chinook.html

Largest Single Dump of Snowfall in Edmonton in Over Two Decades

A local residential street

So, I wasn't exaggerating when I posted my photos and thoughts about our recent snowfall/winter storm.  We've had 35 centimetres of snow fall over the weekend.  That is the single largest dump of snow, not cumulative, in the Edmonton region in over two decades!  20 years, folks!

Somewhere, under all this snow, is my son's car

My son went out this morning to plug his car in only to discover the doors are frozen shut.  (yes, here we must plug our cars in, using a block heater, to prevent the block from cracking in the cold, typically -20C and below, rendering our vehicles incapacitated.)  Catholic and Public Schools have discontinued the noon hour bussing for kindergarten for this week.  There is still kindergarten if you can get your children there.  The city is way behind on snow removal.  The main arteries are plowed and residential roads may see removal equipment, at the earliest, Thursday.  The city's 311 line received over 590 calls about snow removal on Sunday alone.  But there is another arctic front headed our way and more snow is expected Thursday.  So.....what you see may be here for a while yet.....

Photo by Larry Wong, Edmonton Journal

See this Edmonton Journal article for the news on clean up efforts in the city. 

I know some of you have had far worse.  Take, for example, Minnesota or New York or Ontario.  Winter storms have wreaked havoc in the maritimes too, but with flooding, not snow.  Queensland, Australia is under 50 feet of water, in some areas.  Even South Carolina has received its second snowfall and they typically receive snow perhaps once every ten years or so. 

I read recently a headline stating that climate change is out of our control.  Does that mean that efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are pointless?  Efforts to reduce pollution, useless?  I wonder what the GreenPeace activists would say about this?  Personally, I don't think we will really know for sure, unless we continue to try.  Go green.  That's a great motto.  For 2011, I renew my committment to live green. 

How's the weather where you are?

Snow Day

Yesterday I posted some photos of the beginning of our winter storm .  The storm has passed but the snowfall is expected to continue as flurries all week. I know parts of New York state and eastern Canada have had terrific storms, mostly around Christmas time and I've seen a few of your photos.  For Mosaic Monday, I compiled some pictures that I took yesterday and this morning of the snow.

 

This news article about the storm describes how Southern Alberta, namely Calgary and the townships nearby, got the brunt of the storm.









For more lovely mosaics visit Mary's blog The Little Red House .