Plowing and Sanding in progress

We're now in the summer months, we're now in the summer months.

We can tell ourselves the above as much as we want, but for drivers on BC's Okanagan connector, driving conditions are anything but summerish.

Snow has fallen on the Elkhart to summit stretch of the provinces main connection between the Okanagan and the Lower mainland. With plow and sanding trucks dispatched to take care of the sudden snowstorm.

Drive BC lists the conditions as: Slushy Sections from Elkhart Road Exit to Pennask Summitt (1728 metres) (21.4 km). Updated Mon Jun 25 at 5:55 am. (ID# 47343). (webcam picture seen above)

Just remember, we're now in the summer months, we're now in the summer months.

A town that may wish to consider changing its name

When you plan a trip to Mexico, you had best be careful where your final destination might be. For while one has beaches (and apparently a little domestic unrest), the other has nothing but snow, snow and more snow!

An upstate New York town called Mexico, is looking anything but Cancunish these days. Over two and a half metres of snow have dropped on the town of Mexico in the last little while, part of what is called Lake effect snow, blowing ashore from Lake Ontario. And the bad news is that more is on the way!

At an amazing volume of 8 centimetres an hour, shovelling the driveway is the least of the residents worries, cautious residents have taken to the roof shovelling the massive amounts off of the top of their houses, to make sure that the weight of nature doesn't end up in the living room.

With over eight feet of snow on the ground and more coming, New York State has declared a state of emergency in the area to lend assistance to the weary residents of that part of the state, folks that are quite tired of the weather and would like a break soon.


The town's chamber of commerce website is full of little tidbits about Mexico, including a section to honour the Person of the year award, which this year we assume will go to the one with the biggest baddest snow plow on the front of the truck. From the testimonial page is this little bit of wishful thinking "Winter wonderland snow that children dream of", which while technically true probably won't wash with the adults doing the shoveling. Also on the site is a name of a real estate broker in the town, but we suspect he won't be very busy for the next little while, at least until the snowdrifts fade from memories and warmer climes return.

It would be interesting to learn the history of the name of the town, we can only assume that the city's mothers and fathers were a tad optimistic when they settled in the area, because Blizzard would certainly be more indicative of life than Mexico!

Smug as a bug in a rug

Ten degrees above today, that was the high as sunshine and warm winds came to the shores of Podunk. A truly enjoyable day, one which gives you the urge to want to pick up a phone or send an e mail and ask whether you should go for a walk, hit the driving range or maybe do some early gardening preparation.

Close to home and across the Northwest the temps are cooling off with the mid day high to be in the negatives..

Terrace -5
Smithers -10
Prince George -12

It’s particularly tempting to log on to MSN, when you look at the expected highs for centres west of those Mountains that divide this part of BC from the rest of the country. A few samples if you will indulge us…


Fort St. John -18
Calgary -13
Edmonton -17
Grande Prairie -18
Fort McMurray -21
Regina -22
Winnipeg -22
Thunder Bay -13
Windsor -7
Toronto -5
Ottawa -9
Montreal -11
Halifax -7
St. John’s -6

We won’t even discuss the night time lows, that would be too harsh of us. The cold snap isn’t expected to break anytime soon for the easterners, who will suddenly realize how unusual their December really was.

Of course all good things must come to an end for Podunk. Our three or four days of warm tropical breezes give way to a cold front later Thursday, expected high for Podunk is 2 degrees, best to bundle up I guess, it’s going to be chilly!

Wanna build a snow fort, then Stewart is the place to be.

According to the Weather Network today, in the last four months, Stewart has received more snow than they did in all of last year. And with January only half over, there’s a very good chance they’ll be adding to the total.

In fact, today is as good a day as any to pack on the centimeters as a Weather Warning has been issued for the inland sections of the North Coast including Stewart for an additional 20 cm this afternoon and evening.

Environment Canada's Official Weather Warnings
North Coast - inland sections

12:40 PM PST

Thursday 18 January 2007

Snowfall warning forNorth Coast - inland sections continued

Additional local amounts of 2 to 5 cm of snow expected for Greater Vancouver and Howe Sound today.Total snowfall amounts of 15 to 25 cm expected for Whistler through Friday.

A further 20 cm of snow expected near Stewart by Friday morning.Lingering cold air combined with a passing front will spread an additional 2 to 5 cm of wet snow mainly over higher elevations today over Greater Vancouver.

Approximately 2 to 15 cm of snow has been reported in Greater Vancouver since last night. The snow is expected to change over to rain later today when temperatures rise above freezing.

The lingering cold air and passing front will also spread 15 to 25 cm of snow to Howe Sound and Whistler through Friday. 10 to 15 cm of snow has been reported since last night. The snow should ease by Friday after the front exits the region.

A slow moving low pressure system over the gulf of Alaska will spread an additional 20 cm of snow near Stewart today through tonight. The snowfall should ease on Friday as the low tracks towards the Yukon and weakens.

Considering the fact that the towns own chamber of commerce website describes the snowfall there as unbelievable and the snow seems to be intent on falling some more, the Stewart Home Hardware may wish to bring an extra supply of shovels. If ever there is a place in Canada that you’re going to sell them, Stewart appears to be the place.

For those heading off to battle, some helpful hints about clearing your snow.

In Podunk, at least the plows can start...

While we occassionally question the strategy of snow removal and road sanding here in Podunk, we must admit that at least the city doesn't have a problem getting the plows and trucks to actually start.

Such is not the case in Saskatchewan this weekend, as another Prince, this one Prince Albert has had to keep the plows off the roads due to the bitterly cold temperatures. While the snow piles up around the city, the trucks and plows remained locked in their compound unable to start.

A blizzard hit the Prince Albert area last Wednesday and as the temperature dropped to near minus 40, the hydraulics on the city works machinery has failed leaving the city to fend for itself as far as snow removal goes.

Suddenly our little blast of winter last week, now giving way to our legendary wind and rains doesn't seem all that dire.

Nature wreaks her wrath on a new year!

We're not alone in celebrating a new year from the inside, while the elements outside rage about.

Canoe news did a little survey of coast to coast weather conditions and 2006 left like a Lion and turned things over to the other Lion for the start of 2007. In particular, Prince Rupert gets a high profile mention with this quote:

On B.C.'s north coast, gale-force winds have hampered ferry services since last week and residents were preparing for more of the same.

Clayton Morrison, the manager of a Tim Horton's in Prince Rupert, said he's never seen the weather this severe. "It's blowing out windows on cars," he said, noting two windows of his neighbour's van broke a few days ago after being pelted with grit and high winds.

All the wild weather coast to coast will have Canadians running to the video store to watch Al Gore's epic tribute to Global warming, An Inconvenient truth.

That is if they feel like going out of the house, the full coast to coast review is provided below.



New Year weather 'horrible'
Tue, January 2, 2007
Canadians greet 2007 under a wide and bizarre range of weather conditions.
By LISA ARROWSMITH, CP

EDMONTON -- While New Year's Day was downright toasty for scuba divers taking a fundraising dip in Toronto's harbour, residents of B.C.'s western coast battened down the hatches again after warnings they could get up to 180 millimetres of rain and gale-force winds.
Environment Canada issued rainfall warnings for southern B.C. and heavy snowfall warnings for the province's Interior yesterday.

Southern Ontario's record-breaking 9 C temperatures brought out groups of motorcyclists, tennis players and street hockey enthusiasts. But the unusually warm temperatures also brought out concerns that Canadians are reaping the effects of climate change.

"It shouldn't really be this warm," said a coatless Jennifer Case as she enjoyed a bowl of noodles at a picnic bench in Toronto. "It probably has to do with all the cars going around (the city)."
"I think it's horrible, it's global warming actualized and we've been talking about it for years and now it's happening," said Kim Menzies as she had a cigarette outside Toronto's Eaton Centre.
"It's frightening."

On B.C.'s north coast, gale-force winds have hampered ferry services since last week and residents were preparing for more of the same.

Clayton Morrison, the manager of a Tim Hortons in Prince Rupert, said he's never seen the weather this severe.

"It's blowing out windows on cars," he said, noting two windows of his neighbour's van broke a few days ago after being pelted with grit and high winds.

After weeks of unusually mild temperatures with little snow, freezing rain and heavy rainfall warnings came as a bit of a shock to many Atlantic Canadians.

Polar Bear dippers plunged from a wharf in Herring Cove, N.S. to celebrate the New Year, but Stephen Cheung, 38, who researches hypothermia at Dalhousie University, wasn't interested.
"I do this all the time in my lab, so I don't feel a huge need to do it," he laughed.

All these weather extremes aren't that unusual this time of year, say experts.

"Keep in mind that Canada is a rather wide country," said Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Coldwells from Vancouver. "That's why we end up with these areas where we can have really cold and wet weather in one area, and contrast that with the really warm weather in the East."

Plows in Winnipeg began to get the upper hand yesterday on a vicious winter storm that blew through on the weekend, dumping up to 36 centimetres of snow in some areas.

Quebecers were left dealing with their own share of misery on the first day of the new year. Freezing rain, hail and snow hit throughout the province early yesterday. But higher than normal temperatures meant motorists avoided nightmarish driving conditions.

Confirming suspicions for those east of the Coast Mountain Range

Today has been one of those days, that the folks east of the Mountains use to point out how deprived of the Canadian reality many British Columbians really are.

With about 50 cm of snow in some parts of the Lower Mainland, the entire Greater Vancouver region seems to have descended into the bunkers to wait out the worst. Schools were closed, traffic examiners cancelled their road tests and the traffic on the road was light as Vancouver called it a Snow Day.

This of course will be greeted with much hilarity in the likes of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes, the North and of course those British Columbians who live on the eastern side of Merritt.

Besides the snow that has led Vancouver residents to their local Canadian Tire to look over the shovel selection, Vancouver radio stations are urging residents to be prepared for the bitterly cold temperatures to come tonight. With an anticipated low of -18 in the wind chill, it’s akin to a cold emergency in the land of the lotus and the dogwood.

Of course, -18 would make a dandy day time high in Brandon, Edmonton, Winnipeg or Saskatoon et al on any given winter’s day, but for Vancouver it’s a sign that Al Gore is right and the planet is on the road to ruin.

For those that wish, there is cheap entertainment available at CKNW’s audio vault today.
Simply select NW any time between 6 am and on through the day, listen in to the cavalcade of school closings, the calls for patience as the tow truck and cab drivers get to the next call on their list. From 8:30-Noon, Bill Good took calls from the snowbound Lower Mainland, as the populace gathered around the radio, cappuccino cups in hand and shared tales of the great snow of 2006.

Mind you the folks in Vancouver have one thing over their smug brethren of Toronto, as of yet they haven’t called out the Army, which puts them one up on Ontario. Something to keep in mind as you chortle along to their misfortune.

Better Here than there redux. November 15 edition

For those with family or friends in Vancouver or on Vancouver Island, today is the perfect day to phone em up and ask "How's the weather, down there today?"

Vancouver forecast:

Environment Canada's Official Weather

Warnings

Greater Vancouver
10:45 AM PST Wednesday 15 November 2006
Rainfall warning forGreater Vancouver continued

Rainfall amounts of 80 to 110 mm are forecast for Howe Sound and West Vancouver Island today. 50 to 70 mm are expected for other areas in the south through the day.Further rainfall amounts of 20 to 30 mm are expected today for North Vancouver Island with a further 15 mm for Central Coast - coastal sections.

An intense frontal system over the eastern pacific will continue to intensify and hit the south and central coast spreading heavy rain and strong winds today. Ahead of the system, southeast winds of 70 to 120 km/h has developed over West Vancouver Island while southeast winds of 60 to 90 km/h are occurring over the south and Inland Vancouver Island.

Further rainfall amounts of 20 to 30 mm are expected today for North Vancouver Island with lesser amounts for the Central Coast - coastal sections.

Total rainfall amounts of 80 to upwards of 110 mm are forecast for Howe Sound and West Vancouver Island today. Lesser amounts of 50 to 70 mm are expected for other areas in the south. The heaviest rain for East Vancouver Island will be concentrated in an area between Parksville and Comox.

Total amounts of 90 mm are expected for that area by this evening.A low pressure system over the gulf of Alaska is spreading heavy snow to inland sections of the central coast. An additional 5 to 10 cm of snow can be expected through tonight.

The heavy precipitation and strong winds are forecast to ease this evening when the frontal system moves inland.

Greater Vancouver10:45 AM PST Wednesday 15 November 2006

Wind warning forGreater Vancouver continued

Southeast winds 60 to 100 km/h to continue today over the south and central coast.This is a warning that damaging winds are imminent or occurring in these regions. Monitor weather conditions..

Listen for updated statements.


North Coast Forecast for Today:

Environment Canada's Official Weather

Warnings

North Coast - coastal sections13:56 PST Wednesday 15 November 2006

No watches or warnings in effect.

For added pleasure check out the CKNW Audio Vault for Wednesday, listen in any time between Noon and 2 pm and listen in to the utter panic a little rain and wind can cause!

Better here than there today

Sunshine and warm temperatures in Podunk, snow, slush and road closures to the east.

A reminder that we're heading into the winter driving season for the Northern part of the province today.

Highway 16 between Houston and Burns Lake was closed on Saturday due to the elements.

From the Drive BC website:

Highway 16 Both Directions

Closed in both directions from Houston to Top of Priestly Hill, 30 km east of Burns Lake (115.3 km) because of Compact Snow with Plowing & Sanding. Updated on Sat Oct 28 at 10:51 am. (ID# 23734)

Oct 28, 2006 10:51 AM


Highway 16 Both Directions

Travel Advisory in effect. Compact Snow with Slippery Sections from Wakefield Road, 30 kilometers west of Houston to Top of Priestly Hill, 30 km east of Burns Lake (146.7 km). Travel is not recommended unless absolutely necessary. Updated Sat Oct 28 at 8:16 am. (ID# 23725)

Oct 28, 2006 08:16 AM

And so the fall turns to winter before the time has a chance to change!

Today, it's better here than there, part two!

Well sheesh, twice in one day what can one say. I actually remember these days when I once lived in the land of the bowl and cutbanks.

Our friends to the east of us, in what is self described as BC's Northern Capital are having a bad air day.

With some kind of atmospheric inversion in effect, you can not only see the air over Prince George, but one would suspect if you took a knife you could cut out a piece and keep it for later use.

One would suspect that today was not a banner day for folks going out for a run, a walk, or a breath of fresh air.

Today, it's better here than there!

Well probably any day is better here than there when you're talking about Buffalo, New York a fine burg of fine people, cursed by location. Snow is not unknown to the folks of the western half of Upper New York State, snow storms in Buffalo are the thing of legend, its just that they normally happen in winter.

Record snow in October blew into the Niagra area this morning. With 2 feet of snow, falling on Friday the 13th (think they're a tad superstitious now in New York state?), downed power lines, clogged roads, closed schools and even a state of emergency...

The earliest of snows in recent times blew in from the midwest and also struck Cleveland and Detroit, which should make for a real home field advantage for the Tigers as they take on those California boys from Oakland later today... Remember, lift with your knees, lift with your knees.