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!

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.

Open the windows

It’s beautiful out today.

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Wintry weather returns

Well, global warming promises us more unstable weather, and I guess this is it.

It looks like winter out. We’ve had rain, snow, freezing rain, ice pellets, wind, and thunder.

The cats are all disgusted and restless because they can’t go out.

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Music: Dar Williams’ “February”

“And February was so long that it lasted into March…”

Lyrics here: February

It has been very cold the last few days, so it seemed like we were still back in February.

Another snowstorm heaves into view

It’s going to be another chilly and snowy night.

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Fortunately, I’m getting over my recent cold.

Playing in the snow

Fog in the snow Dec. 17

The closest I get to playing with snow is generally shovelling. Or dealing with meltwater, which brings out the 8-year-old in me. We had about 25 cm of snow over the last couple of days: not too much to handle but it did pile up. I cleared the back porch, sidewalk, and parts of the driveway & lane of the most recent few centimetres, but a plastic shovel doesn’t cut ice. Then it thawed and rained. So I went out after dark with a narrow steel shovel to help the puddles drain. It was going to freeze overnight and I didn’t want large sheets of ice around us.

In the back, I cut a few channels so that the sidewalk could drain to the driveway and the driveway to the lane. In the lane I made sure that the water had free passage downhill to the storm sewer at our end. One of my self-appointed tasks in the winter is to keep that drain open, not covered with snow and ice. Digging channels in melting ice reminds me more of March than December. It’s neat to see the water start to flow over miniature ledges.

One of our young grey cats appeared from up the lane to watch. I stood aside to let him by. He strolled thoughtfully through puddles of ice water and sat down at a safe distance to watch me dig at the frozen ruts. But he kept coming over to say hi and look at me meaningfully. It was Fog, who likes to ride on my shoulder. Maybe his feet were cold? So I picked him up and went on shovelling with my own personal superintendent. He was fine until a car came by. I stood out out of the way but he went scrambling further to Make Sure. (Here’s a picture of him after the first snowfall, when the snow was still dry and fluffy)

In front of the house, I created some channels to help water drain from the sidewalks to the street. But that doesn’t really get rid of it. Our street has a relatively new “speed hump” that prevents water from draining to the nearest catchbasin, so we get huge puddles on either side of it, including a big one at the driveway from the lane to the road. There must have been four inches of water in some places. I really must ask the city to trim the ends of it. And, of course, the snow piled by snow ploughs ends up covering the basins. So I dug around at the edge of the road, trying to find a way to a storm sewer. No luck. Every year I think I’ll remember til next year exactly where they are.

As the cold deepened, the water was freezing into floating “bergy bits” of ice. I made a few more channels to drain sections of the sidewalk that hadn’t been cleared, but had been driven on, in front of a parking lot. Why am I minimizing someone else’s mess? That lets them get away with not clearing their own walk. With a last swipe at the back lane and its diminishing channels, I went in to warm up.

An odd day

On Tuesday I was going to check the STC job bank, wrap presents, clean up the house, deal with various financial matters, make a nice supper, and write a couple of progress reports. I did check the job bank. After that I spent the day accompanying LotStreeWiz on his errands, to provide moral support during a visit to the dermatologist. The weather started out a bit cold and cloudy, but progressed to damper and windier.

We took the subway to Queen’s Park station and tramped around in a limited area from College Street to Bloor Street. Our first stop was Canadian Blood Services

I was tempted into volunteering to donate blood with LotStreetWiz. (I’ve been shunning the Canadian Blood Services since the Hepatitis C Scandal.) I had passed their College Street office many times but never been inside before. It’s an impressive red dolomite mansion that started out as the original Sick Children’s Hospital and for a long time housed the Toronto Police 52 Division. There’s a big open atrium. We stepped down to the reception desk and took a number. After insisting that I’d be in their data base if I had ever given blood, they couldn’t find me and my 26 previous donations so they created a new entry. Then I had a blood test (iron levels are fine) and filled out a detailed questionnaire (all OK). THEN I saw a nurse, who rejected me because my pulse was too fast. Maybe it was from all the excitement. LotStreetWiz was rejected because he was going to see his dermatologist about a skin spot. It took about 45 minutes for us to be rejected.

After that abortive visit, we had a mediocre lunch at Pogue Mahones, a faux Irish pub on College Street. The name means something like “Kiss My Ass” in “Irish.”

We walked up to a Breitling watch store on Hayden Street for tiny batteries, then west to The Runner’s Shop at 180 Bloor West, Specs on Bloor, and the dermatologist. The spot was just a spot. We returned via the LuluLemon Shop on Bloor and the Atelier Gregorian music store on Yorkville Avenue (my side trip).

The shops were fairly quiet but people were determinedly trudging through the slush with large gift boxes and bags. By the time we headed for the subway, wet snow pellets or freezing drizzle was sticking to my coat. I requested that we duck the damp, cold wind by walking underground and that led to another side trip, this one to Science City under Bloor Street. We walked back to Yonge Street via the underground mall and took the subway home. We got out one stop early to walk home. We were out for more than six hours.

Weather warnings

Southern Ontario: weather warnings are in red

Here’s Toronto’s current weather warning:

City of Toronto
3:41 PM EST Friday 19 December 2008
Winter storm warning for
City of Toronto continued

Major winter storm ending this evening.

This is a warning that dangerous winter weather conditions are imminent or occurring in these regions. Monitor weather conditions..Listen for updated statements.

Snow and blowing snow is now affecting all of the areas under the winter storm warning. In addition a blowing snow warning has been issued for portions of eastern Ontario. Locales under the blowing snow warning can expect local whiteout conditions in snow and blowing snow late this afternoon into early evening but with snowfall amounts well below winter storm warning criteria.

For all areas under the winter storm warning northeast winds of 40 km/h gusting to 60 are giving frequent whiteout conditions in heavy snow and blowing snow. Conditions are especially severe near the shores of the lower lakes where winds gusting to 80 km/h are reported. Furthermore embedded snowsqualls off Lake Ontario into the Hamilton regions and Niagara regions are giving locally higher snowfall amounts.

Conditions will improve in all areas this evening.

I have shovelled the front walks, the back walks, the driveway, and a path from the cat door. The weatherfolk cheerfully assure us we’ll have to do it all again a couple of times because of the blowing snow.

Rain

I couldn’t resist this:

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