Cloudbusting

Here's an interesting story. To alleviate a drought that threatened to ruin this winter's wheat harvest, it would seem that the Chinese have been seeding the clouds with chemicals in order to make it rain, something that I thought was still in the realm of science fiction rather than science fact. However, an incoming cold front somewhat scuppered the experiment for instead of the hoped for rain, tons and tons of snow were dumped on Beijing as the city was blessed with its earliest snowfall for over a decade.

Now, if only it were possible to take this technology and use it in reverse. We could then 'de-seed' the clouds we get here and buy ourselves some respite from winter.

That would be the ultimate Chinese takeaway.

Walk out to winter

Well, I think it's safe to say that our winter is now well and truly here to stay. It snowed all day Friday, and we had a bit of a blizzard yesterday, making it virtually impossible to see the mountain/hill that I climbed only last weekend. To be honest, I don't really mind it once the snow is thick on the ground; what I don't like is the transition period when it snows one day and rains the next, turning the town into a slushy grey mess, but it looks like our transition period has been a short one this year.

I hosted a potluck evening at my house yesterday; despite the weather there was a good turnout, and thanks to everyone's efforts we had an obscene amount of wonderful food to enjoy. The only thing that didn't really get eaten was my Spaghetti Bolognese, but Tupperware and freezers are wonderful things and I now have plenty of leftovers to enjoy at my leisure. It's Thanksgiving Day tomorrow so I should be eating turkey, but I think that some of the Spag Bol could be getting an outing, unless I decide to defrost another slab of 'mystery meat' instead.

Choices, choices.

That's snow business

It may have come about a week later than it did last year, but on the day of the vernal equinox we had our first snow of the season today, moving us directly from summer into winter without passing 'Go' and without collecting $200.

I've been wanting to climb one of the hills that surround the village ever since I've got here, but aside from the weekend when I was ill (typical!), all our weekends have been terrible weather-wise so I haven't had the chance. Those hills look more like mountains now that they have their cover of snow, but if I'm feeling brave I might still try to mount an expedition this weekend.

Weather permitting, of course.

The demise of Angus

After bemoaning the fact that we needed a change to liven things up, I've been struck down by the Arctic equivalent of Delhi Belly - 'Tundra Tummy' maybe? - and am currently enjoying, or should that be enduring, an unscheduled day at home. To compound matters, I also received some sad news from the UK.

You may remember, a couple of posts ago, that I wrote about the terrible winter that the home country is enduring, and I posted a picture of Angus the snowman in my mum's back garden. Well, it would seem that winter has now released its icy grip, and it is my sad duty to inform you that Angus is no more:

May he rest in peace.

Relativity Theory

I know everything is relative, especially your aunt and uncle, but I had to grin after reading an article on the BBC website this morning entitled 'More Arctic temperatures to come.' Wondering what environmental catastrophe had befallen the UK overnight, images from The Day After Tomorrow ran through my head as I brought up the page, but once I started reading I realised that I needn't have worried.

"Temperatures in some areas plummeted as low as -8C" proclaimed the article, which then went on to describe how the country had been plunged into near anarchy due to such conditions. I've become somewhat battle-hardened when it comes to cold weather after four winters in Canada, and although I will admit that -8C is indeed cold, I'd hardly call it Arctic. So, whilst I have sympathy for those of you shivering back in Blighty, just be thankful that your cars look like this:

Heavy snow in the West Midlands yesterday

rather than this:

My car last week

It's cold outside...

Although the town has been covered by a blanket of snow for some time now, today was just about the first time that it felt really cold, the type of cold that literally does get into your bones and starts to freeze the end of your nose. As I write, it's a decidedly frosty -17°C outside, -25°C with windchill, which is quite cold enough thank you, but I've been here long enough now to know that it's going to get a lot colder than that in the months ahead.

However, it was also beautifully sunny today, and the view out onto the Bay really was rather stunning. Now, I vowed to myself when I started this blog that it wouldn't turn into yet another amateur travelogue, full of endless photos of the landscape which, after a while, all merge into one however beautiful they are. But today I feel the need to indulge myself and share with you a few photos that I took either at, or on the way to, school (click to enlarge):

The view from my classroom

Hudson Bay, as seen from the school

Smoke on the water...(go on, you know you want to!)

The last photo - not the best quality as it was literally taken through my classroom window - shows the phenomenon of sea smoke, or steam devils, caused when warmer air covers colder waters and winds are calm. The locals view this as a sign that the freeze has really begun, and if there's one thing I've learned to trust in my time here, it's local knowledge when it comes to the weather.

Finally, since I started writing, the temperature has dropped to -20°C (-28°C with windchill), so not only does this illustrate what I was just saying about local knowledge regarding the weather, it also means that it's time to break open the hot chocolate and marshmallows (the little, hot chocolate mug variety). Night, night.

(S)no(w) day

Two of the most popular words for those who work in the North are "blizzard forecast", especially when they are followed by two even more popular words, "snow day." Well, we had the first two words yesterday, but unfortunately they weren't followed by the second two today, much to everyone's disappointment.

Winter has most certainly arrived though and, reluctantly, the Canada Goose has finally had to come out of its metaphorical mothballs; does anyone actually use mothballs any more? Other than male moths? Who knows? Who cares?

Happy Halloween.

It's grim up North...

Well, following a brief scare back in September, it looks as though winter is finally upon us up here. It's been a grey, dank, blustery day today (like Manchester in July), and as I write the snow has now started to fall in earnest. And in Inukjuak. I've always wondered where 'Earnest' is, as they always refer to it on the news: 'fighting has begun in Earnest', 'the election campaign has begun in Earnest', and now 'winter has begun in Earnest.' Not quite sure where it is; think it might be in Saskatchewan.

Only last Friday we were out walking on the beach in shirtsleeves, such is the changeability of the weather in these parts, and local opinion is divided as to whether the snow will settle, but it would seem as if that is it for us now.

Not sure where 'Shirtsleeves' is either. Alberta, maybe..?

September Snow

We had our first snow today; it didn't last long, but snow we had so it's now officially winter. In September. Sucky.