The Winter of Four Januaries
According to the calendar, it’s officially spring. According to every bit of my skin that is exposed to the outside air, though, it still feels very much like the dead of winter. It’s true that the days are getting longer, especially north of the 60th parallel, but the temperatures have been stubbornly stuck at values that would be normal in January. With the return of bright long days, I’m starting to awaken and starting to feel the itch for photography again, but I just can’t seem to find the motivation to get out there and freeze my nose chasing the aurora.
While Yellowknife is known for its severely cold winters, I would say that in general, it’s not as terrible as it may sound. Normally, by March, the snow starts to evaporate in the sun as the temperatures creep up above minus ten, sometimes even above freezing. It may still feel very much like winter to someone from the South, but here, it feels like a burst of new life after spending December, January and February down in the abyss.
This winter, though, things have been different. It has reportedly been the coldest winter in recent decades. After a drawn out, unusually mild fall, it dropped on us like a ton of bricks, almost overnight, and December was brutally cold in its entirety. Then January felt like a normal January, but come February, it didn’t warm up. It might have actually gotten even colder. And when March rolled around, we saw a few timid attempts at warming temperatures, but the relentless cold would come roaring back every time. On the morning of March 23, it was -39. The next morning, -37. For those two days, the highest temperature recorded was about -20. This is way below seasonal normals.
The snow has not been evaporating in the sun like it usually does, and the vehicles still need to be plugged in to ensure they will start. As far as temperatures go, March has been more like a normal January. It’s the fourth month of persistent cold, and you can tell that it’s affecting the population’s morale. People seem to be getting sick more than usual, and I’m noticing that they are often more irritable. I don’t blame them.
As for me, saying I’m tired of it would be an understatement. I’m really regretting not going somewhere warmer at some point in recent months, and I can’t wait for my next opportunity to get out of Dodge. I know it won’t stay cold forever, but this prolonged cold spell has made me acutely aware of the extra energy required to do anything that involves getting out of the house. I just don’t have the patience to keep putting on layers every time I go out and feeling like I’m getting repeatedly slapped in the face by the bitter wind it anymore.
With all that being said, I will get back to posting new photos, hopefully soon, but not until I can work my camera without mitts!
