Canada is a vast land of extremes. Winters here are something that we as Canadians have adapted to and have been conditioned to survive the harshest of what winter can throw at us. Human beings are essentially tropical animals that are not equipped for even mild cold winters. It's only because of our behavioral adaptions, appropriate winter clothing and shelter that we manage to survive and even thrive through our tough winters.
 |
| THIS IS NEVER A GOOD SIGN |
The most frigid major city in Canada in winter wins mitts down, the honor going to the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, where the average daily temperature in winter is -15.3 c. that is of course without the wind chill factored in and -40 for weeks on end is as common in Manitoba. The myth surrounding whether Portage and Main in downtown Winnipeg is the coldest corner in Canada, and immortalized in song by The Guess Who as 50 below, has been ruled out as just that, a myth. While it is bloody bone chilling cold in winter alright, it is downtown and with the protection of lots of buildings for wind breaks, it can't help to be a little warmer than it will be out at the airport per say where it's always colder. The prairies are colder anyway from lack of windbreaks, natural and otherwise, so when the winter winds blow up a blizzard, it's usually of significant proportions and comes with a huge downward spike in temperature.
In 1947, Northern and Western Canada experienced one of the worst winters ever as cold arctic air moved into Canada from eastern Siberia stalled over the Yukon for over a week setting a record low of -63 c. in Snag Yukon as 38cm of snow laid on the ground. It went onto set other record lows as recorded in Fort Nelson B.C, Jan.30/1947, -51.7 and -50 in Fort McMurray Alberta, Feb.1/1947. -58.9, Smith River B.C, 1947. A temperature was recorded in Calgary Alberta as, -45 in 1893. Calgary is lucky as it is situated in what is called a prairie steppe climate. The city is in a valley and subject to warm Chinook winds that can blow down from the mountains and raise the temperature up to 30 degrees in an hour and leaving Calgarians basking in the warm reprieve from winter for a day or up to a week or more.
 |
| NO SCHOOL TODAY ! |
To demonstrate the effect of prairie blizzards, in Saskatchewan a train was halted in a blizzard that raged from, Jan.31 to Feb.9, 1947. The train was then buried completely by a snowdrift 1 km long and 36.7 ft deep. It was called the worst recorded winter conditions in the railroads recorded history. All roads into Regina were also blocked in with snow as was all of Saskatchewan, and the rest of the prairies didn't fare much better either. Many people were trapped in their homes for over a week.
With temperatures at -60, when you exhale, it makes a hissing sound as the moisture in your breath freezes in the air and vapor trails are created that drift upward up to 500m.
The lowest temperature ever recorded on the planet was -89.2, July,21/1983, in Vostok Antarctica. Apparently, even the sled dogs wouldn't start and went on strike. Canada is considered the coldest country in the world next to Mongolia and Russia. The dangers of winter are mainly Hypothermia, driving, loss of power and heat as strong winds and or ice rain knock out power lines. Ice rain is restricted mostly to eastern and central Canada.
 |
| TREES IN SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO COVERED IN ICE AFTER AN ICE RAIN |
 |
| THE LAST THING A CANADIAN WANTS TO SEE OUT THE WINDOW IN THE MORNING BEFORE WORK |
 |
| OOPS, AT LEAST HE'S NOT BLOCKING THE ROAD |
.jpg) |
| I KNOW OUR HOUSE IS AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE |
 |
| Scholastic.ca |
FROSTBITE AND FROST NIP EXPLAINED
Women are less prone to getting frostbite than as are men because they have a higher gradient temperature from skin surface to body core. However that makes women more susceptible to surface damage of the skin, rather than the deeper damage occurred by men exposed to freezing temperatures. When temperatures drop well below freezing, exposed skin can freeze in less that 3 minutes. When windchill is factored in, it can mean a matter of seconds instead if the winds are strong enough and the temperature low enough. Elder's are at risk of heart attack from shoveling snow in winter and many Canadians get back injuries from shoveling snow.
Before you get frostbite, you get frost-nip. Your extremities begin to get sluggish as blood leaves the skin surface to try and warm the core. This is why your fingertips and your ears get cold first and lose sensation, making it hard to even do up a button or feel your ears. Even nerve cells transmit more slowly as blood flow is diverted away from the extremities. Frost-nip is when the surface layers of your skin freeze. Frost bitten skin has fallen below freezing and ice crystals form in living cells, killing them. Surface blood vessels dilate, muscular contractions begin and shivering actually produces 5 times more heat production for the body to try and warm up with. Skin turns pasty white and loses all sensation.
Deep frostbite turns the skin blue, black and purple and means extensive tissue damage and even muscle and bone damage causing the need for amputation. If frostbitten skin is rewarmed to quickly, it can cause serious damage to the skin causing it to swell and blister. When frostbitten skin hardens to a black carapace, if it's not too severe dead layers of skin slough off and it's a painful experience. To survive extreme cold, you have to raise your body temperature by generating enough energy. The only way to do this is to first have the right kinds of food in your body that provide good fuel and secondly preventing heat loss by what ever manner we can manage. If fire and shelter isn't an option, choices are limited.
When we get cold we have to pee more often and this is just your body's defense against the cold as it tries to eliminate as much water out of your urine as it can. Both children and animals are at high risk from frostbite and must be protected from extreme cold weather. Do not leave dogs outside for too long or for extended walks without foot protection. All to often, a common sight in winter in Alberta is young children of immigrant families going from their house and jumping into cars barefoot and even babies carried or in a stroller outside in bare feet. That is extremely irresponsible on the parents part and this practice should be stopped.
***
*WARNING THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE GRAPHIC IN NATURE *
.jpg)
Canadians have a love hate relationship with winter and you either like it or you don't. We ski, skate, toboggan, snowmobile, race motorcycles on ice, play hockey, ice climb, ice fish, and even take annual polar dips. Ya, we're a little crazy. We're Canadians, Eh? A large and growing number of Canadians opt for warmer climates in winter and the sooner I am among their numbers, the happier I will be, as winter is my least favorite season in Canada.
Thank You for your continued support of this blog.
Do Have A Good Day And A Warm Night
Jeffrey R Hilton
