It was a spring snowstorm like no other – actually, it was a snowstorm like many others, since I can recall many spring storms in recent years. But, every time it happens, it appears that we are all shocked, and maybe a little unprepared.
When the snow started falling on Wednesday morning, it was a little odd given that the weather had been seemingly mild and spring has just officially arrived according to the calendar. But, my husband is usually rather keen on checking the weather, so he had warned me that it looked like we would be getting some sort of snow through the week.
I glanced out my office window a few times, a little in awe of how much white stuff had been accumulating through the earlier part of the day. But, it really wasn’t until I spoke to my husband over the phone, and he asked if the school buses were being sent home early that I realized how much snow had actually fallen and that we were in the midst of our annual spring blizzard.
And just like that, within half an hour, the school division made the call, and buses in the area were starting the ship kids home early. That’s when I decided that maybe it would be a good idea to wrap things up for the day, put out a few more posts on social media about the storm, and head home myself.
A few years ago, the drive home would have made me much more anxious, and would have required a bit more nerve. While driving home Wednesday afternoon, I was truly thankful for a couple things: one, that I now drive a truck, and two, that I live only a handful of miles from town.
From what I heard later, my drive home was likely easier than some people’s drives that lived in town, with people getting stuck on main street and in their own driveways.
I was also thankful for what appeared to many cautious drivers on my way home. No one was in a rush. And the few cars that I met up with seemed to be keeping pace with one another.
On Sunday morning, just a few days after the spring blizzard of 2017, we took a drive to Sherwood Park, and it was also amazing to see how little snow fell in other parts of the area. By the time we reached the North Saskatchewan River, there was little evidence that any fresh snow had fallen.
If anything, we can now truly celebrate the arrival of spring, with what could be our last big snowfall out of the way – at least for a good five months – hopefully.
