Memorable Weather Experiences: A Tale of Geography & Climate

The weather invites different life experiences, which can give memorable moments every time the specific or a related type of weather is mentioned. Weather experiences also depend on the geographical climate hence different experiences despite the same weather description. For instance, sunny weather is favorable to people who live in icecap climate regions such as Canada, Greenland, the United States, and Russia. Some countries like Canada experience freezing weather averaging between -6 to - 12 C. When these countries have sunny weather, they tend to have more outdoor activities, and they enjoy staying in the sun. However, the weather has been made for us to enjoy, and hence being creative in any type of weather is necessary because creativity neutralizes the monotonous behavior caused by weather characteristics. People around the world use weather for different purposes, which can be for fun or income generation. Weather can be used to unlock innovative agricultural developments farmers who use it earn an income. Students who study agriculture can also use weather to participate in farming projects. Sportspeople also take advantage of cold weather for skiing, ice skating, snowboarding, or ice climbing. I have had my part of enjoying cold weather while on vacation with my friend in Canada. Being my first visit to that country, I had to pick the months of December, January, and February since these are the durations that winter occurs. My main interest was to experience Snow, not necessarily winter, although the two are inevitably together.

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Snow Weather Experience

How snow is formed and remains in its material and texture is one of the questions I had. I generally knew that snow is condensed water, but then how it happens was the question. To get handy information about Snow, I had to be at the scene and doing an activity that would help me to understand it better. Due to the extreme cold weather, warm clothes are a necessity. Since I was not going just to sit and watch the snowfall, my friend and I took a long skiing gear because we had to learn and have fun. We need the skis, ski boots, goggles, helmets, and ski poles. I also noticed that my friend carried along with a walkie talkie, and on consulting its purpose, I was told that there could be emergency cases that may require one to seek help. Out to the field, we went, and there was snow all over the ground, the trees were covered with snow, and the rooftops snow could be seen forming and every other place that it could hold on. I could not avoid bending to pick up a handful to feel what it was despite having my gloves on. I noted that snow looked like ice crystals.

Snow Formation

A discussion started between my friend and I, and she explained that snow formation depends heavily on the atmospheric temperature. The snow is formed when the atmospheric temperature is at 0 degrees Celsius and a minimum amount of moisture in the air. The ice crystals form while suspended in the atmosphere within the clouds, and then they fall on the ground (Vincent 178). The snow reaches the ground when the temperature is at or below the freezing point. Snow can also fall on the ground if the weather conditions are just right to hold the snow together. When the temperature is above freezing, the snowflakes melt due to high heat, and the melting creates evaporative cooling, which cools the atmosphere immediately around the snowflakes. The cooling hinders melting.

Then I realized that the formation of snow does not necessarily freeze weather. As long as there are enough moisture and cooling in the air, the storm will form. In most cases, heavy snowfall occurs when there is moderately warm air near the ground, which can be about 9 degrees Celsius or warmer because warm air can hold more water vapor. The weather and the original form of crystals determine the character of the snow surface after the snowfall. What this means is that when the strong winds accompany the snowfall the crystals are broken into small pieces that can become packed. The storm may evaporate or melt after a snowfall or even last for a more extended period (Kong 600). If the snow remains on the ground, the shape, size, and texture of the snow grains will change even if the snow temperature persists on the below freezing point. The grains may also melt and refreeze and eventually become repressed by consequent snowfalls. During the winter season, the snow accumulates and makes layered structures that are made by assorted snow grains.

Different types of Snow

The size of the snowflakes depends on the number of snow crystals. Most snowflakes are half an inch wide. More giant snowflakes can also form in near-freezing temperatures and unstable atmospheric conditions. There are also different types of snow, which include snowflakes, which I only knew from the pictures. Other examples include hoarfrost, graupel, and poly-crystals. Snowflakes are single ice crystals that fall from the cloud. Graupel is a type of snow that forms when freezing water droplets are collected on falling snowflakes. Graupel is also referred to as snow pellets, and they are cloudy or white. It is often mistaken for small hail. Poly-crystals are snowflakes made up of single snow ice crystals.

Snowfalls

Snowfalls can be violent winter storms known as blizzards, and they are a combination of subfreezing temperatures and strong winds (Caian 770). Other types of snowfall include snowstorms that are caused by significant snowfall. There is snow flurry that falls with varying intensity for a short period. Snow squall occurs briefly but has intense snowfall that is accompanied by strong winds, and it reduces visibility to a great extent. There is also an intense shower of snow that is known as snow burst that has a rapid accumulation and reduces visibility as well. Blowing Snow is snow particles lifted by the wind to average heights above on the surface, and it makes the horizontal visibility at the eye level to be wrong. Wandering Snow is Snow on the ground that is wafted by the wind two meters above the ground.

Snow Covers and Snow Formations

There are also snow covers and snow formations. About these two types of Snow, I learned on the second day of my day out at the snowfields. I realized snow has a lot of information to learn about it. Most people living in regions where the storm occurs do not have this information. To most people, snow is just snow, and that is it. If interested at all, it is because of the snowflakes patterns which are unique and attractive to the eye. I went ahead and asked more about the snow covers, which are also known as snowpack. It refers to all the snow and the ice on the land, and it entails the new snow, preceding storm, and ice that has not dissolved. The types of snow cover include the fresh snow, which is the recent deposit that the original form of ice crystals can be identified. The other type is firn, and it is older than one year. It weighs around 500 kilograms per cubic meter.

Neve is young granular snow that is partly melted, refrozen, and compressed. This type of rainstorm is connected with glacier formation. The glacier is a formation that takes place when the snow has remained at a given location for one year. The storm builds up enough to form ice, and each year new layers of snow conceal and condense the other layers. The repression forces the Snow to shape up to form grains that are alike in size and shape. The other type of snow cover is the old snow that is far much advanced such that the original form of the new snow cannot be recognized. Seasonal Snow accumulates for a short time, and then it disappears. Perennial snow remains on the ground for several years. There is also powder snow that has a dry texture, and it is formed by loose fresh ice fresh crystals. Snow formations occur from various weather conditions such as changing temperatures blowing wind, and prolonged periods of shade or sunshine. In some cases, the weather conditions can alter the form of the snow surface. These formations include penitents, Ripple marks, cornice, or crust.

Winter Activities in Toronto

During my visiting Toronto, Canada, I experienced freezing temperatures averaging between -10C to -25C. It was the right weather to learn all about snow and skiing. Ski hills are where people go for skiing activities, and there are a number of these hills. The regions have large ski resorts that have different trails and lifts where people go skiing. The resorts also have accommodation for those who might want to spend time skiing in the evening hours up at 9:00 pm. Glen Eden was our destination resort, and I have never felt so ready for a new adventure. I got an opportunity to have a view of snow during the day and at night. During the day, the clouds were nimbostratus clouds and thick stratus. The nights were lit up with outdoor lights, and if I can recall, the clouds were more of large portions of cirrus. I joined a short private program for new skiers that evening just to quench the curiosity of what I was to experience the following day. The lessons continued the next day, and by the end of the week, I was doing quite well. We also had fun making ice sculptures. It was a challenging activity due to a lack of expertise despite having a few tools to enable us to do it. We had an opportunity to watch artists compete, making crystal-like sculptures. Ice sculpturing is an everyday activity in Toronto. Bloor-Yorkville ice fest is one of the places that showcase ice carving demonstrations. Magnificent sculptures are displayed in the neighborhood, accompanied by inspiring music and lighting. The opportunity is excellent for unique photos that are worth a thousand memories. The artist also makes profits by making different flavors of ice. Several carvings also attract a lot of tourists during winter season. We also had a chance to build a snowman. The techniques were not as hard as ice carving. One only needs to know the right type of snow to make a snowman, which should be wet and powdery. Snowball fight was also part of the games we did for fun. There are a lot of creativity opportunities for one to enjoy before the winter season is over.

Survival Tips during Winter Season

Above all, the best moment I had was learning about snow. Another thing I learned about is how people survive during this time, especially in terms of grooming and food. People in Toronto need to wear warm clothes. Jackets and boots have to be waterproof (Klep 166). Warm clothes are likely to be substantial as well, but one should consider the comfort when wearing. People should also invest in a good pair of boots that are waterproof and protective to the feet to prevent freezing. The jackets and the shoes may be a bit costly, but they can last for a long time and keep you protected from the harsh weather. A pair of gloves is also essential to keep the hands warm. For those who need to use the phone throughout, there are touch screen gloves that will enable the individual to work on the phone. Beanie or hart is also vital for keeping the hair dry; otherwise, the hair becomes stiff if not covered. Necks are sensitive to cold, and so a thick scarf will be kind enough to include oneself. There are also various types of food and drinks that people eat to keep warm. Soups are essential for soul nourishment. Chicken noodle and vegetable soups are common during this time. Other foods include chili, meat pies, curry fries, and tortilla soup.

Going for work is normal, and precaution against the cold weather will be expected for everyone. No one should sacrifice themselves to the cold weather, but being aware of the dangers of exposing oneself to the cold weather can prevent illnesses. The employers also have ensured that the employees are safe by providing the appropriate working gear and...