As Toronto experienced -20C degree weather and over 26 cm of snow on this January day (the last time the city had over 20 cm of snow in a day was 51 years ago), let’s review of records set by this crystallized substance that is causing traffic, frustration, cancellation, but is also inspiring many jaw dropping beautiful images.
- As the famous poem by Maya Angelou claims there are no two snowflakes alike, a scientist found two identical snow crystals in a Wisconsin storm in 1988.
- The largest snowflake was about 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick, fell during a snowstorm in 1887 in Montana.
- The most snowfall in a single day in the U.S. was 192.5 cm inches in 1921 in Colorado, which still holds the record for having the most snow fall in the country.
- The most snowfall in a single day in the world belongs to Capracotta, Italy, when the city experienced 255 cm of snow in just 18 hours in March, 2015.
- Nova Scotia holds the record for the most snow angels made in 2011, when over 22,000 residents in 130 locations all joined in the effort.
- Eskimo people have at least 53 words to describe a variety of snow and snow crystals.
- Igloos – which are made of compacted snow – can be 100 degrees warmer than outside cold weather since compacted snow traps air and would transfer heat.
- For the first time Vietnam – a tropical country very close to equator – it snowed on January, 2016, on mountainous villages of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An with a zero degree cold spell.
As we brace for the summer that couldn’t be here fast enough, here are some images of Canada robed in a snow gown & freezing ice glass slippers, by photographer Dat Huynh.