Snowstorm Memories

1986 November Winnipeg Storm

A real winter blizzard for the ages. I believe 35+ cm fell in about 1 day, paralyzing Winnipeg over the weekend. I was too young to have my own car, but I spent the next day bombing through Winnipeg with my friend's brother in the back of his Toyota pickup truck (4x4).

1996 Winnipeg Storm

Yet another blast of cold air and snow. I remember this storm because I was working at Club Regent when it hit. We had people stranded at the Casino at 3:30 in the morning and had to stay the evening there. I had a 1992 F-150 pickup truck and had to run the engine every few hours so the snow wouldn't stay packed in the engine.

1998 Calgary Storm

I think it was 1998. I'm not sure. Anyway, the snow hit hard and fast, I had to park on the residential street and transit was stopped for a day. It was unbelievable. I still had my 1992 F-150 truck.

2004 February 17-20 White Juan, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Snow fell at a rate of five centimetres per hour for 12 straight hours, and winds blew at up to 124 kilometres per hour.


The snowstorm dropped a record-breaking 95.5 cm of snow on CFB Shearwater, beating the previous record of 73.2 cm set February 1, 1960. It also broke the record for the most snow in Yarmouth with 101.2 cm of snow, surpassing the 67.8 cm that fell on January 16, 1977.

Numerous unofficial reports placed a snowfall of nearly 150 cm in many regions across the province. The storm also produced sustained winds ranging from 60 to 80 km/h through much of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador with maximum 1 minute gusts of 120 km/h reported at many stations. Much of central, northern and western New Brunswick received little to no snow or wind as the storm tracked toward the east.

Two weather stations in the Halifax Regional Municipality reported 10 seconds gusts nearing 147 km/h however these reports have never been confirmed by Environment Canada. Weather radar observations, as well as synoptic report, showed extensive thundersnow embedded within the blizzard; in the heaviest bands, accumulation rates exceeded 20 cm per hour.

 Lets just say I worked from home for 2-3 days. The snow was so massive, we were stuck for days. I think I had my Cavalier (2003) back then, with NO winter tires. God knows how I made it up the hill on Arthur Street. It was a gutless piece of crap.

2009 Christmas Blizzard

100 cm of snow. On the day after boxing day, I dug out my Subaru and went to buy a wireless keyboard and mouse at Futureshop. I was fucking nuts.