Category Archives: Snow

‘Snowmageddon’: cleanup begins after record Newfoundland storm

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Blizzard dumps nearly 80cm of snow on Canadian city of St John’s as government says military reserves may be called up

Canada’s federal government will help Newfoundland on the Atlantic coast dig itself out in the wake of a massive winter blizzard that buried cars and left thousands without power.

The storm on Friday and Saturday dumped as much as 76.2cm (30 inches) of snow on St John’s, the capital of Newfoundland, and packed wind gusts as high as 130km/h (81mph). The snowfall was an all-time record for the day for St John’s international airport.

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Game on: Wisconsin town to legalize snowball fights after 50-year ban

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Wausau has voted to amend a 1962 ordinance that forbids the launching of projectiles – including snowballs – on city property

On Monday afternoon, last-minute shoppers shuffled the sidewalks around Wausau’s city center as the mercury topped 34F (1C) – a veritable heatwave for this time of year and, coincidentally, the perfect temperature for packing snowballs with volume and heft.

And inside the nearby city hall, a conversation has also been heating up – one that could shape the future of snowball fights in this central Wisconsin town.

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Lack of snow leaves Scotland’s ski resorts in need of a lift

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Resorts are facing one of their most difficult seasons with many forced to close off slopes

Scotland’s ski resorts are facing one of their most difficult seasons in years, with a lack of snow forcing them to close many of their slopes, raising questions about the impact of climate change.

Unusually mild weather – a record February temperature for Scotland of 18.3C (65F) was recorded on Aboyne in Deeside this week – has led every resort to shut down their main slopes. One has had to close entirely.

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Las Vegas gets first significant snow for years after rare winter storm – video

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A winter storm brought rare snowfall to the Las Vegas Strip this week, with some suburban foothill areas getting several inches of snow. The snow snarled flights at the airport and traffic on highways.

The snow could reach 3in by Friday on western and southern outskirts of the city, but rain could reduce accumulation

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Toxic black snow covers Siberian coalmining region

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Activists say ‘post-apocalyptic’ scenes in Kuzbass highlight manmade ecological disaster

Residents of a coalmining region in Siberia have been posting videos online showing entire streets and districts covered in toxic black snow that critics say highlight a manmade ecological catastrophe.

In one video, filmed in Kiselyovsk, a town in the Kuzbass region, a woman drives past mounds of coal-coloured snow stretching to the horizon, covering a children’s playground and the courtyards of residential buildings. The scenes in the footage were described as “post-apocalyptic” by Russian media.

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UK weather: ice and snow bring traffic to a standstill

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Police tell drivers to take care, as one stranded motorist resorts to eating snow from roof of car

Motorists were stranded for a second night as freezing temperatures brought traffic to a standstill in some areas, and one driver resorted to eating snow off the roof of his car.

Sleet and snow continued during the early hours of Saturday morning, causing treacherous conditions on highways across Kent and Hampshire.

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UK weather: heavy snow closes schools and disrupts travel

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Motorists stranded and air and rail services cancelled as temperatures plunge

Thousands of people have been trapped, delayed and had their journeys disrupted by heavy snow that swept across parts of the UK, as forecasters warned more severe weather was on the way over the weekend. Scotland could see lows of minus 16C (3.2F) over Saturday night into Sunday as the cold snap continues, the Met Office said.

Hundreds of motorists were stranded on Friday, while air and rail passengers faced cancellations or difficult journeys and more than 1,000 schools were closed. Some householders experienced power cuts and sporting fans had events cancelled or travel plans wrecked.

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UK weather: snow and ice warnings amid travel chaos – live updates

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Follow live updates on the disruption in the UK after the Met Office issues a warming for continuing snow

Wiltshire Health and Care, a partnership formed by the three NHS foundation trusts that serve Wiltshire to deliver adult community health services, is looking for volunteer 4x4 drivers to help nurses get to work.

We still urgently need 4x4 volunteer drivers in North #Wiltshire to help get nurses to and from work today. If you can help please call Sarah on 07514-323303. Please share. @wiltscouncil @Chippenhamtcl @MTCwilts @malmesburyteam @ChippenhamCEM

Welsh rugby fans trying to get to Paris for the opener of the Six Nations kept themselves entertained at Bristol airport after flights were cancelled.

Some of our amazing passengers choosing a singalong to keep upbeat during the snowy weather ❄️ pic.twitter.com/OoMigFLcJV

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Feel the chill: icy examples of polar vortex in US – video

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Frozen winds have brought record-low temperatures to the US midwest as a blast of Arctic air, known as the polar vortex, unnerves residents accustomed to brutal winters... Wet clothes freeze after 10 minutes, ice arrives after a hot shower and ships break their way through the Chicago River

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Polar vortex: -46C temperatures turn Chicago River to ice – video report

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A blast of Arctic air from the polar vortex has caused temperatures to drop to as low as -46C (-50F) in Chicago. Cities in the midwest opened warming shelters as temperatures plummeted well below zero. The Illinois governor warned the weather 'poses a serious threat' to people's wellbeing. The polar vortex, a mass of freezing air, usually spins around the North Pole

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Polar vortex blasts US with life-threatening cold

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Warming shelters open in midwest as Chicago area sees temperatures drop to -50F (-46C), with snow possible in southern states

A blast of arctic-chilled air from the polar vortex brought dangerous, record-setting cold to a wide swath of the eastern US on Tuesday, stretching from the Dakotas through Maine, with snow expected as far south as Alabama and Georgia.

Cities in the midwest opened warming shelters as temperatures plummeted well below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-17.8C) . Regional governments closed hundreds of schools and airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights, including many to Atlanta days before the Super Bowl.

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Polar vortex: how cold will it be and what should the midwest expect?

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Though the region is familiar with bitter winters, record low temperatures may be threatening, forecasters warn

Record low temperatures are descending on the American midwest. The region is long familiar with bitter winters, but this is an exceptional cold snap that forecasters warn could be life-threatening. The extreme chill comes after a snowstorm that hit the area overnight on Monday.

Related: Americans’ climate change concerns surge to record levels, poll shows

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Snowstorm takes out power in US mid-Atlantic after five deaths in midwest

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A winter storm that contributed to at least five deaths in the US midwest pummeled the mid-Atlantic region for a second day on Sunday, bringing with it an icy mix that knocked out power, cancelled flights and contributed to hundreds of car accidents.

Virginia state police said the driver of a military surplus vehicle was killed late on Saturday after he lost control on Interstate 81 due to slick road conditions.

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Five dead on midwest roads as huge snowstorm heads for Washington DC

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  • Parts of Missouri see more than a foot of snow
  • Capital and Maryland face heavy falls on Sunday

A massive winter snowstorm making its way across the midwest and into the US mid-Atlantic region dumped more than a foot of snow in parts of Missouri and contributed to at least five deaths, authorities said on Saturday.

The storm moved into Kansas and Nebraska from the Rockies on Friday, then east into Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, covering roads and making driving dangerous.

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Monster snowstorm to blanket more than half of United States

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Winter storm ‘expected to create havoc’ as it moves from western US across the middle of the country

A massive winter storm hit the US Rockies and plains on Friday then punched east, with snow set to assault a 1,800-mile (1,609 km) corridor through the weekend, creating transportation “havoc” in the middle of the country.

The system started as rain from Mexico and turned to snow as it met icy air. Up to 18in (45cm) of snow were expected in the Sangre de Cristo mountains south of Denver, according to the National Weather Service.

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Parts of Europe blanketed by heavy snowfall – video

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Heavy snowfall has caused chaos in Germany and Austria, as both countries remain on high alert. Several people have died in weather-related incidents. Troops have been deployed to help residents and helicopters are clearing snow from trees to stop it from falling on cars.

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Heavy snow brings chaos and death to Germany and Austria

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Alpine regions remain on high alert after 12 people are killed in weather-related incidents

Parts of Germany and Austria remain on high alert after extreme snow in Alpine regions, where 12 people have died in weather-related incidents.

A nine-year-old German boy was the latest victim of the extreme weather, which has resulted in residents becoming snowed-in and motorists trapped for hours in freezing temperatures.

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Teenage Australian boy killed in Austrian avalanche while skiing with family

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Sixteen-year-old dies after he and his mother were swept away while skiiing at St Anton am Arlberg

A 16-year-old Australian boy has been killed in an avalanche in Austria, local police said.

The boy was skiing with his parents and 14-year-old brother at St Anton am Arlberg, western Austria, on Wednesday, when he and his mother were swept away by the avalanche, local news reports said. His mother was able to escape unhurt, but the boy was buried in 2m of snow.

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