First snow of the year

But we’re making up for lost time! It has snowed all around us but I think the city melts the first few snows on the way down, when conditions are borderline.

I saw my first few flakes of snow yesterday; then a storm moved in overnight and we’re getting snow, freezing rain, rain, and then snow in that order for the next 20 or so hours, courtesy of a “Colorado low.”

Although it was a record that Toronto went through November without any snow, my usual impression is that we have the first snow that stays on the ground about December 10, so we’re on track for the last few years.

However, here’s the rather impressive storm warning…

WINTER STORM WARNING: City of Toronto issued at 5:17 a.m. EST Wednesday 9 December 2009

..Snow heavy at times accompanied by strong winds today.. This is a warning that dangerous winter weather conditions are imminent or occurring in these regions. Monitor weather conditions..listen for updated statements.

..Winter storm warning.. An intense low pressure system currently centred near Lake Michigan continues to bring much precipitation to parts of Ontario today.

Snow associated with this system has fallen over southern Ontario except in the national capital region where it will soon start this morning. Snow has now changed to rain in extreme southwestern Ontario. The changeover from snow to rain will spread eastward throughout the day and into the evening hours for most areas. Rain will change back to snow sometime this evening. Additional snow amounts will range from a trace to 5 centimetres for the greater Toronto area and vicinity..5 to 10 centimetres for areas to north..and near 15 centimetres towards the Ottawa valley by this evening.

Strong easterly winds up to 60 km/h will accompany the snow today significantly lowering visibilities in blowing snow. Periods of heavy snow are also likely. Also..very strong southwesterly becoming westerly winds of 60 km/h gusting up to 90 will follow tonight.

..Wind warning..
Very strong winds will develop tonight along the north shore of the lower Great Lakes in association with the winter storm that is sweeping through portions of the province today. Southwesterly becoming westerly winds of 60 km/h gusting to 90 are expected for these regions. This wind warning includes only the areas along the Lake Erie shoreline..as those along the north shore of Lake Ontario have been accounted for under the winter storm warning currently in effect for them. Winds will likely diminish from west to east sometime overnight into Thursday morning.

..Snow squall watch..
Conditions will be favourable for snow squalls to develop in the wake of the winter storm that is sweeping through portions of the province today. Flurries at times heavy and snow squalls will likely develop beginning overnight and intensify on Thursday. The exact locations and snowfall amounts are still uncertain at present. Generally local amounts of 15 centimetres or more in snow squalls may be expected by Thursday evening. In addition the accompanying strong westerly winds will cause blowing snow and reduce visibilities to near zero. Motorists are encouraged to use extra caution and allow extra travel time. Snow squalls may persist for the next couple of days in some regions before they weaken. Environment Canada will continue to monitor this developing situation closely. Further warnings may be issued as warranted.

Time to dig out the fur-lined shoelaces!

Flu clinics open for general public in Toronto

The flu clinics have inoculated enough health-care workers and people in high-risk groups to open for the general public. I’ve posted the flu clinic schedule and flu information links in the sidebar. The weekend clinics are from 1 – 9 p.m. and the weekday clinics are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Swine-flu clinics for free inoculations in Toronto

Google Streets View misses a neighbourhood

It was bound to happen somewhere: the Google camera van checked off a neighbourhood without photographing it or perhaps didn’t get it onto the list at all. A six-block area near Withrow Park in Toronto was missed entirely.

How did I miss this?

Moose demolishes car, driver OK—in South River, Ontario, 2004.

Moose in car, South River, Ontario

 

Family weekend

We had our granddaughter in Toronto for the weekend. She had a short visit with her dad on Saturday afternoon, but he had forgotten it was her weekend and was hosting a party that evening and working on Sunday. Work is good.

On Saturday evening we picked up a possible Hallowe’en outfit for her at Value Village, a for-profit thrift store that stocks new and used costumes for Hallowe’en. On Sunday we went back to Value Village for a very nice charcoal-grey satin formal that was just a little big for her but should be perfect about the time she graduates from elementary school.

On Sunday morning LotStreetWiz headed out for an 8-hour bike ride with only two protein bars in his pocket. If biking burns off a few hundred calories per hour, you have to eat more than that to stay caught up! Eating enough to stay fuelled is one of the challenges of the longer triathlons. After dropping off our grand-daughter, I drove on and picked him up in Niagara Falls, rather cold and tired but triumphant at riding 100 miles.

Pages bookstore is closing

I hadn’t heard about this: after 20 years, Pages on Queen Street is closing.

Scenic Caves, Blue Mountain

cave-walk-14, originally uploaded by monado.

The Blue Mountain, near Collingwood, Ontario, has some of the decent skiing in Ontario. In the summer, you can have a modestly priced vacation and visit limestone caves in the Niagara Escarpment. The walk to the caves includes a stroll along the edge of the Niagara Escarpment. Here’s a bit of the view from the escarpment, overlooking Georgian Bay, an arm of Lake Huron. Where are the caves? Well, they’re below the lookout points.

Washout of Finch Avenue, August, 2005

Washout of Finch Avenue, August, 2005, originally uploaded by Lone Primate.

Black Creek runs under Finch Avenue east of Dufferin. During heavy rains, the creek rose so high that the culvert couldn’t handle all the water, and the soil under the road washed away. The road was closed for months during repairs.

Finch Avenue sinks again

Why doesn’t the city just admit that there’s a stream running under the street and put in a culvert? Or a bigger culvert? Or an actual bridge? There is a culvert, but flooding can overload it. It’s a remnant of the time when Toronto’s treatment of creeks within the city was to bury them.

“Son of the hole that ate Finch Avenue“

This is the second time in four years that the soil under the road has washed away. Some people called it the Finch Flood.

Red bird

An unusual bird showed up at the bird feeder last evening. It seemed to have more red than a house finch, which is usually light underneath.

It had a red rump. Maybe it was a purple finch.

It had a thick, heavy beak. I’d say it was a pine grosbeak, but they are further north at this time of year.

Perhaps it was a crossbill–I don’t have a good image of the tip of the beak. The grey bird above it could be a female of the same species.

Any opinions?