Winter's Forecast and Predictions

Part of Canada's appeal is its 'Four Seasons' ~ winter, spring, summer and fall (autumn) that offer changing landscapes...temperatures...climate...and accordingly, travel costs.

Facts About Canadian Weather

• As far as countries go, Canada is much the coolest; vying Russia as the coldest nation in the world.
• The lowest temperature ever recorded in Canada and North America was the village of Snag inYukon (February 3, 1947)
• More Canadian die each year from exposure to extreme cold temperatures, than from other natural events.
• Get the shovel(s) out! The greatest single-day-snowfall recorded was February 1, 1999 when Tahtsa, British Columbia was blasted with nearly a metre and a half of the white stuff.
• Canada's coldest city? A tie between Saskatoon and Regina (-50 degrees C) on Feb. 1, 1893.
• Canada can deliver a wide range of temperatures from cold winter nights to hot summer days.
• There's a saying in Canada that if you don't like the weathr, wait 5 minutes. In Pincher Creek, Alberta, the mercury soared from -19 degrees C to 22 degrees C in one hour.
• The Grand Banks off Newfoundland is considered the foggiest place in the world.
• One big wave on September 11, 1995, the QE2 ocean liner was caught in Hurricane Luis (off Newfoundland's coast) and hit by a 30-metre wave!
• Canadians invented the UV Index ~ a measure of the intensity of the sun's ultraviolet radiation in the sunburn spectrum. The sun's rays can do more damage to skin, eyes and immune systems
• which is now forecast in 48 locations across Canada.

Mark Twain's Observation:

“Climate is what we expect; weather is what we get!”

“Father Winter”

"Old Man Winter, "colour-cartooned by MacKay in the Spectator's January 27^th issue

portrays his view overlooking Hamilton's snow-topped buildings, snowy streets

and a freighter stranded in Lake Ontario's icy waters awaiting entry

to the Bay's mini-ice-burg islands ~ the sky, a cobalt blue!

Below this striking cartoon is Paul Benedetti's Winter opinion:

Baby, It's (too) Cold Outside!

“OK, it's official ~ I am against winter. I can tolerate November because I know December is coming and I can tolerate December because I know Christmas is coming. But once that's done, you're simply facing months of chilling wind...bitter cold...and darkness...and that's at home. Outside, it's horrible! The sub-zero temperatures in January, February and even March are awful and anyone who says they enjoy them, is deluded ~ or Norwegian.

“I hate cold weather! No one can tell me that cold weather is a good thing.

Human life began in Africa for obvious reasons: it's nice and hot there.

You can sleep outside and walk around nude most of the year.

“Contrast that with Canada where standing outside naked in January would cut your life short by approximately 68.5 years and 42 seconds, not to mention creating quite a stir with the neighbours. No humans were designed to exist in cold environments, hence the invention of the tuque. Even highly attractive people, once they don the tuque, look like a member of The Three Stooges ~ especially me!

“Outdoor winter sports are stupid: skating, take it to Florida to an indoor rink. Like a good Canadian parent, I used to bundle up the kids in snowsuits and tuques and trundle over to Churchill Park where a local firefighter, with a large hose, would make an ice rink for the neighbourhood. We would sit them on a bench in sub-zero temperatures and I would wedge their skates on their frozen feet with my frozen fingers. After lacing up 3 pairs of skates, plus my own, we headed onto the ice for recreational skating or what I liked to call 'falling down' ~ the kids did all right, though. After 6 or 7 minutes of this torture, they would demand that we go home for hot chololate. Adults love winter activities? Most I know, can't wait to get on a plane for the nearest tropical island! The rest are skiers.

(The foregoing are excerpts from Benedetti's writing...a frequent contributor to the Spec.)

Dear Paul (if I were to write to him) I'd Comment:

“I love our Canada's Four Seasons: the varieties of soft greens in early Spring ~ the aromas of lilacs, irises and summer roses ~ Jack Frost's palette of colours on deciduous trees. I was a skier for many years ~ thus this winter season presented, thanks to Mother Nature, that wonderful, crispy snow-scape of beauty, challenge and unfathomable excitement to arrive at a ski center in Ontario or south of the border, was unparalleled to any other sport.

Teachers, we four were, as we met Saturdays at 6 a.m.

stacking our skis and poles on Marnie's rooftop rack...

packing our boots and paraphernalia in the trunk,

then piled into her yellow Volkswagen...anxious to arrive at Blue Mountain in Collingwood or a ski resort close to Barrie, or points south to Holiday Valley, not far from Buffalo (for the day or weekend). Regardless of the weather,we just had to get there...even following the snowplow occasionally.

“Always, a 'buzz in the air' we'd arrive at the ski resort before the lifts opened'

have a cup of hot coffee, don our boots and tuques then head to the slopes!

Often the lift operators threw a blanket on the cold metal seats...we'd ride through the snow-laden pines to the top of the runs...then select our slope according to its degree of difficulty ~ and WHEE!

So exhilarating it was to swish through the frosty air and master the slopes and bumps to the tow line.

A pleasant surprise at Holiday Valley was an available lunch 'on one of the slopes'

with soups, hot biscuits, sandwiches, hotdogs off an open grill and hot or cold drinks

Simply ski right up to the table...and enjoy!

Extremely Cold Days

The coldest ski day ever, in Ontario was a day with my teenage son at Horseshoe Valley, near Barrie.

The wind unbearable...the air several degrees below zero...snow blown off some of the slopes exposing ice...the chill most penetrating! Following a hot lunch, we tempted the slopes again, but at 2 p.m. we called it a day, returning for hot chocolate at the inn and stowing our equipment in the car.

At Gray Rocks in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec, Shirley and I and my son

spent a ski-week of instruction end of January.

Although mighty cold like Arctic air, the morning and afternoon ski instructors were great...the meals superb...accommodation A-1. It was bitingly cold; the lift operators' noses were running like little streams of icicles...their beards covered with frost...and wore heavy mitts as they loaded us on chair lifts. On each chair a blanket was provided which we returned on the empty chair as it coasted to the bottom. Due to the cold, my goggles clouded badly which resulted in a few tumbles.

Fortunately, a gentleman in my class bought me new snow-goggles next morning.

I was So Grateful...treating him to a beer the next afternoon at the fireside bar.

Scripted by Merle Baird-Kerr...January 28, 2018

Comments welcome: mbairdkerr@cogeco.ca or inezkate@gmail.com