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Surprise Snow Storm

Every year, it’s the same. Just as the temperatures hover around 0 °C and snow starts to melt under the afternoon sun, we get a surprise snow dump.

That day was last Friday.

On Thursday, a snow warning was issued for Friday morning and we were told to expect about 10 to 15 centimetres of the white stuff.

On Friday morning, Ottawa breathed a sigh of relief: the sky was cloudy but flurry-free. The old man up there in the sky had apparently overslept because white hell started early afternoon. One flurry, two flurries, three flurries… next thing you knew, the ground was as white as the sky and there were no fewer than 35 traffic accidents throughout the city. Rush hour turned into snowmageddon and you could spot commuters driving with five centimetres of snow on their windshields.

Friday afternoon is about the worse time for a snowfall to happen: employees leave work between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., traffic is heavy and everyone is tired. The roads couldn’t be cleared right away because of rush hour and buses were late or didn’t show up. On top of that, everyone felt depressed: knowing that you will have to shovel your driveway isn’t a great way to start the weekend and winter weather can put a serious damper on your plans.

But hey, this is Canada. We all have a short memory when it comes to weather: if it’s nicer and warmer for a few days, we almost forget it’s still winter. Getting snow in February is definitely normal.

I was lucky to be home when the snowfall started, and bundled up like a snowman, I took a long walk with my camera. I loved the colours (or lack thereof) and the fact the sky and the ground seemed to blend perfectly. It was worth getting my hair frozen!

Lost Glove
Recycle Bin
Walking in The Storm
Tire Tracks on Fresh Snow
Snowed Bench
Fresh Snow
Bundled Up For The Winter
You Got Snow
At The Park
Bare Trees in The Storm
Swings
Snowed Tree
In The Storm
Getting Cold…
Snowed Drain
Snowed Tree
Tire Tracks
Garbage Day
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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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