This winter has been a long one, even by Saskatchewan standards. The snow fell in early November and it hasn't gone away, not even for a weekend. It has pitted in with its buddy, icy temperatures, just to make us all more than a little uncomfortable, it seems.
Outdoor enthusiasts like skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers are in their glory. They love, love, love all the white stuff. But the cold is even putting a damper on some of their activities this winter.
There's not much we can do about it. It's a like it or lump it situation - all we can do is deal with it, until spring finally decides to come. Unlike the City of Boston, I don't think a Snow Melter 2000 is in our future.
To help us look on the bright side, and perhaps allow adults to view the snow with as much excitement and happiness as kids do, here are a few "Fun Facts" about snow, garnered from the CBC.
The largest snowflake ever recorded was 38 centimeters in diameter. For those of you (including myself) who are still stuck on the Imperial system, that's 15 inches. That's over a foot. Taller than a Barbie doll, and maybe even Ken. Pretty impressive, seeing as the largest one I was able to come up with while digging in my backyard was smaller than the tip of my pen. The big one fell in Montana in 1887, back when everything was bigger - the land, the snowfalls, and the dangers of living here. Also when there was not much else to do but watch snowflakes fall from the sky.
Okay, the next fun fact concerns why snow is white. Do you know why? Neither did I, until the Internet told me. It's white because visible sunlight is white, the CBC says. Crystals in snowflakes reflect white light off each other and what little light that is absorbed gives snow its white appearance.
While not exactly a fun fact, it's an interesting one to know. Kind of.
Third, did you know, unlike what my mother tells me, it's never too cold to snow? Usually, I breathe a sigh of relief when I have to go somewhere for the weekend and it looks like the temperature is going to stay somewhere around -25C - and not because I am fond of the sensation of being limbless. It's because I always thought it could not snow if it got that cold.
Now the CBC has smashed that illusion to smithereens.
It is never too cold to snow, they say, because there is always some moisture in the air. However, it is far more likely to snow when the air is -9C or warmer.
So, odds are, when it's -40C, it's not likely to snow, but it's never out of the question. And while it feels like it's so dry out there, your skin is going to crack, there actually still is some moisture left in the air, though lotion sales in Saskatchewan in the winter would put that statement to the test.
Snow is also, according to the CBC, edible. That's not necessarily a surprise to any kid who has been raised in Saskatchewan. My entire Kindergarten class would come back in from recess sucking on their mitts after just consuming snowballs instead of throwing them. We were soon under more strict supervision.
But really, snow looks so pristine, and as long as it was newly fallen and nowhere near cows, I pretty much considered it a source of hydration while out fort building when I was young. Of course, I lived on a farm where the dog only did her business in the bush, and our forts were built on the lawn, a far cry from the livestock. In the city, I'd think, things would be a little dicier, thanks to all the gravel and salt and stuff that goes on our streets and is hauled in trucks along our streets. But in a dire situation, we could drink it. Which is cool.
Okay, I have to get off this topic. I'm getting thirsty.
The final fun fact about snow is that it makes things quieter, as I'm sure everyone realizes. When the snow falls, it absorbs sound, which makes it much easier to live with noisy neighbours (to which I'm sure my neighbours will attest - sorry guys!). However, when the snow hardens and the air grows colder, it can let sound travel further. This is why, when it's -35C, it sounds like the train you can barely hear for most of the winter sounds like it's going to come through your living room.
