Blasts from the past.
A year ago today it was -14.5C, but with the wind chill, it felt more like -29C. Today, it’s 4C with a chance of rain. Yes, this winter has been a lot friendlier, but mother nature has been known to tease us good weather and then hit us with a #snowmageddon.
Don’t believe us? Here are some unexpected winter storms that shook up the Canadian city’s they hit:
- Get the shovel, uh, shovels! The greatest single-day snowfall recorded in Canada was February 11, 1999, when Tahtsa, British Columbia, was blanketed with nearly 145 cm of snow. That’s almost as much snow as Tahtsa is expected in the month of February, yikes.
- A snowstorm dropped 39 cm on Toronto on January 2, 1999 — but that was just the beginning of Toronto’s problems. After a 27 cm snowfall on January 14-15, more than a metre of snow had been dumped on the metropolitan. That prompted Toronto officials to call for military assistance in clearing roads, to the amusement of the rest of Canada. That fateful January was only expected to receive 37 cm… surprise!
- With 100 km/h winds and snowfalls of up to 60 cm, this February 1982 storm brought Prince Edward Island to a standstill for a week. The island was cut off from the mainland, and trains were buried in snowdrifts up to seven metres high. That snowfall equalled 21% of PEI’s snow for the year. No, they did not call the army.
- A major storm struck the Niagara region in January 1977. The total snowfall for the storm was fairly modest, at 60 cm, but the rifts several met wind’s bluster made it a uniquely miserable experience. Gusts of more than 80 km/h were reported for several days and snow piled high. Fun fact: the average daily wind speed in the Niagara Region in January is around 21 km/h.
Even when the cold weather isn’t breaking records, it still strains heating equipment. Prevent breakdowns by getting your furnace or boiler a checkup! Having your heating system cleaned and tested will save you money on expensive repairs and prevent disastrous breakdowns.
The Region of Waterloo knows that it can trust Afterglow for all its heating needs. Book an appointment with us today: 519-747-7732.
Afterglow. Water, warmth, well-being.