This is somewhat of a weird post. It may seem random, as I’m interconnecting my obsession with weather, brutal cold, photographs, and writing. However, if you happened to have read Wrapping Up a Successful 2016 (year in review) or A New Year for This Blog (what’s planned for us in 2017), or have been following my blog posts for some time, you will know that this post is completely in character.

My three daughters are writers. The first two are working on novels. Daughter number three by age rank, now in university, is not working on a fiction project, but has proven to have a spectacular way with words, particularly in essays and non-fiction reports. (My son, I predict, is going to make a noteworthy speaker.)

The interchange below takes place between daughter number two, Paula, age 26, and me on March 10th. My status line here is pretty typical stuff, but Paula’s eloquent response warranted this blog post because, of course, the eternal author in me was triggered.

“The cold was just sitting in floating blankets of pure brrr, and then the wind scattered it all.” ~Paula Hodgins

-18°C = -0.4°F and -28°C = -18.4°F. Facebook screenshot.

The aforementioned “Michael.”

According to AccuWeather, Edmonton’s historical average high for March 10th is +1°C (33.8°F) and low -8°C (17.6°F).

Instead, according to The Weather Network, Edmonton saw a high of -15.5°C (4.1°F) and a low of -18.7°C (-1.7°F) on that date.

Punishment, no doubt, for our record-breaking day on February 15, 2017 (+16.4°C/61.5°F) and other warm days experienced in January and February this year. Or is it just the law of averages?

Edmonton breaks 100-year-old temperature record articles with photos:

• Spring-like February 15 a record-setter in Alberta (Global News)
• Is it summer yet? Balmy temperatures in Edmonton break 100-year-old record (CBC News)

It doesn’t help that we have an unobstructed corridor with no protective shield of mountains leading all the way up to the Arctic. Its cold can slink down and pounce on us at any time, especially when the temperatures in the High Arctic look like this, and we end up on the wrong side of the jet stream.

Edmonton: March 10, 2017.

“Even the evergreens weren’t green.” ~Beyond the Precipice

Overnight March 10 to March 11, 2017. Photo: Weather Office app, Environment Canada.

Although we will continue to bear grey skies, snowfall, and high wind chills over the weekend, the good news is the hope of spring-like conditions arriving in the coming week. Temperatures in the Arctic — in Resolute, NU, and Yellowknife, NWT (I guess it’s NT now) — have risen substantially in the last few days, which is comforting. Resolute: -41°C (-41.8°F) to -24°C (-11.2°F). Yellowknife: up to -20°C (-4°F). So, while it is still -15°C (+5°F) here in Edmonton on March 11th, conditions are set to improve.

At sunset (6:30 p.m.) on March 11, 2017. Photos: The Weather Channel app.

Edmonton is supposed to experience “normal” temperatures starting March 13th or 14th, even rising above normal by mid-week. In other words, we’ll be riding the crazy temperature roller-coaster again, but at least Spring will come to visit and maybe stay for a while.

An eerie, white winter sun, with the height and luminosity of March.

A hare photographed by Paula Hodgins.

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~Beyond the Precipice

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