March 8th, 2008
snow update
As of yesterday, the Environment Canada data website indicates that we’ve had 373.7 cm (147.12 inches, or, if you prefer, 12.26 feet) of snowfall in Ottawa this winter. As of yesterday, the site shows 56 cm. (22.04 inches) of snow on the ground. I don’t know where they’re measuring that, but it is *a lot* deeper around our farm at the moment.
We had some major snow loss between January 4 and 13th when the snow-on-the-ground level went from an official 66 cm (25.98 inches) down to 4 cm (1.57 inches) as temperatures soared to a searing 10 C (50 F) for about 3 days. Needless to say, any loss was rapidly replaced during February – just in time for the Winterlude carnival which takes place in the city over several weekends in February. Earlier this week, we had another couple of warm days which knocked the snow back again. However, it is quickly being replaced today.
I’ve watched the snow accumulation come and go here at the farm – measured by how high the snow level registers on the two green plastic adirondack chairs in the fire garden which can be seen out the window from our bed. In December and early January, we lost sight of the chairs for a bit, then in mid-January, the snow melted down to below seat level, but now they are completely covered over again. As illustrated by the account of the meltdown in early January, things could change drastically in the space of a few days once the temperature begins to rise, but for now, there’s more snow in the forecast for this weekend. In fact, I just came in from shoveling snow for about an hour.
Last night, I shot a little movie clip of Sabrina patrolling the garden. She’s walking on one of her network of trails in the garden, but if she steps off into the undisturbed snow to either side, she sinks down and has to struggle to crawl back to safety. Yesterday, I tried to walk around the side of the house to put suet in one of the bird feeders and had to turn back after plunging around in waist-deep snow. The only way to get around the yard is on snowshoes.
In other news, Don and I drove to Narrows Locks to check on the Trumpeter Swans twice over the past week, but failed to find even one. However, we did stop to watch llamas and donkeys munching on hay at a farm along the way. I expect they’re as anxious as us to see the snow melt away to reveal the green pastures lying in wait beneath.
Tags: snow