Extreme Temperatures
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Snowflake Cold

Polar vortex breaks temperature records across Canadian Prairies

Mickey Djuric
CBC.ca
Mon, 08 Feb 2021 13:42 UTC
Cold weather in Canada
© Kayle Neis/The Canadian Press
A polar vortex continues to bring bitter cold to the Prairies, resulting in cancellations of schools and buses in all major Prairie cities.

A mass of cold air arrived on Sunday, setting daily temperature records in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

According to Environment Canada, 22 cold-weather records were broken throughout the three provinces.

The coldest temperature was recorded in Uranium City, about 1,045 kilometres northwest of Regina, where it was -48.9 C, breaking a previous record of -40 C set in 2019.

In Alberta, the lowest temperature was recorded in Fort Chipewyan, about 710 km northeast of Edmonton, where it was -47.3 C, breaking the previous record of -45.6 C set in 1936.
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U.S. avalanche death toll reaches 15 in a week - Colorado records 500 avalanches at the same time

Stephanie Butzer
The Denver Channel
Mon, 08 Feb 2021 20:38 UTC
An aerial view of the deadly avalanche site in Millcreek Canyon, Utah, Feb. 6, 2021.
© Wasatch Backcountry RescueAn aerial view of the deadly avalanche site in Millcreek Canyon, Utah, Feb. 6, 2021.
In backcountry areas across the United States, from Alaska to Colorado to New Hampshire, hundreds of avalanches rumbled down mountains in early February, ending in the most deadly week for avalanches in more than a century.

Between Jan. 30 and Feb. 6, 15 people died in avalanches in the U.S. — the most in that time frame since 1910, when 96 people died on the west side of Stevens Pass in Washington in a massive avalanche.

In total, 21 people have died in avalanches in the country in the 2020-2021 season as of Monday, including:
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Snowflake Cold

Alpine skiing world championships postponed after storm dumps 3 feet of snow - 15 FEET in a month

Aadrew Dampf
abcnews.go.com
Mon, 08 Feb 2021 13:59 UTC
Snowcats clear the snow along the Olympia delle
© Marco TrovatiSnowcats clear the snow along the Olympia delle Tofane course after a women's alpine combined race was canceled due to heavy snowfall, at the alpine ski World Championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 8, 2021.
No fans. Now no race.

The opening event of the Alpine skiing world championships scheduled for Monday was postponed due to heavy snowfall.

Organizers called the women's combined off with no immediate new date for the race announced, although the International Ski Federation said information about rescheduling would come later.

A meter (3 feet) of snow has fallen since Sunday and more was still coming down Monday afternoon, making it nearly impossible to create a hard and reliable racing surface.

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Snowflake Cold

World Snow Wrap February 5: Powder days continue in Japan - Metres of snow in California - Fresh snow in British Columbia - Snow and avalanches in Europe

Reggae Elliss
Mountain Watch
Fri, 05 Feb 2021 13:09 UTC
Kirkwood’s ski patrol doing their
© Kirkwood resortKirkwood’s ski patrol doing their bit to get the show on the road last Friday.
It has been a big couple of weeks in the Northern Hemisphere with five-day snow totals of 1.5 to two metres in California, deep snow and avalanches in locked-down Europe and a run of excellent powder days in Japan. Read on for the details.

Japan

It has been a big fortnight in Japan although a couple of mild days earlier in the week brought some rain to Niseko, but that changed mid-week when a colder front hit on Tuesday night and there's been 80cms in the past three days. Conditions were tough with blizzard conditions at times and some wind-hold, and according to our snow Niseko snow reporter Henry Johnston, the storm is still in "full swing" today and it's awesome out there - just check the above photo from today.

It has been a similar story in Furano with over a metre of snow since Jan 30 and from Lucy Morrell's report, it sounded like yesterday was the day: "Basically half a metre of fresh up top at Furano today and hardly a soul to share it with. Crazy days."
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Snowflake Cold

Farmers plough over 6 foot of snow as 'Beast from the East 2' wreaks havoc across Scotland

Ryan Carroll
Daily Record
Sun, 07 Feb 2021 12:39 UTC
Farmers plough over six foot of snow in Aberdeen
© Ramage ContractorsFarmers plough over six foot of snow in Aberdeenshire
Ramage Contractors headed out in tractors to clear the roads following blizzards in Aberdeenshire.

Farmers have taken to the streets to plough over six foot of snow as the 'Beast from the East 2' continues to wreak havoc across Scotland.

Ramage Contractors headed out in tractors to clear the roads following blizzards in Aberdeenshire.

Dramatic footage shows workers from the family run firm driving through the white stuff at Cabrach in Moray yesterday.

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'A terrible tragedy': 4 skiers killed, 4 injured in Utah avalanche, officials say


AZ Central
Sun, 07 Feb 2021 14:09 UTC
AVALANCHE
An avalanche killed four skiers and injured four others Saturday in a popular recreation area, making it one of the deadliest avalanches in Utah history, authorities said.

The Unified Police Department told local media that it was alerted to the avalanche about 11:40 a.m. after receiving a faint distress call from an avalanche beacon in Millcreek Canyon near Salt Lake City.

The skier-triggered avalanche swept up eight people in their early twenties to late thirties who were in two groups touring the backcountry, Unified Police Sgt. Melody Cutler told the Salt Lake Tribune. The avalanche took place at an elevation of 9,800 feet, the Utah Avalanche Center said.


Comment: In addition recently: Avalanches leave 9 people dead in past week across U.S.

Here is footage of the avalanche, apparently taken by one of those caught in it - and who we hope survived it.

Warning: Some viewers may find this video distressing



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Snowflake Cold

Germany brought to a standstill after massive snowstorm, sub-zero temperatures


Euronews
Sun, 07 Feb 2021 13:39 UTC
A Deutsche Bahn employee clears snow on
© Peter GerckeA Deutsche Bahn employee clears snow on a platform at the main station in Magdeburg, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021.
A snowstorm and strong winds pounded northern and western Germany on Sunday, forcing trains to cancel trips and leading to hundreds of road accidents. Police said 28 people were injured on icy roads.

The German Weather Service DWD urged people to stay at home and authorities brought homeless people into warm shelters amid the sub-zero temperatures.

National train operator Deutsche Bahn said main train routes between Hamburg and Hannover, Berlin and the west were canceled as snowdrifts piled up on the tracks and power lines. Some train connections in the east were also canceled, though most of the snow came down in the northwest.


12 inches of snow

Police in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia said early Sunday they had counted 222 accidents due to the bad weather conditions since Saturday afternoon. They said two people among the 28 were severely injured.
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Snowflake Cold

Winter Snow Darcy batters the Netherlands, disrupting rail and road traffic


DutchNews
Sun, 07 Feb 2021 13:09 UTC
Snow ploughs in action on the A1 motorway on
© Vincent Jannink ANPSnow ploughs in action on the A1 motorway on Sunday morning.
The Netherlands woke up to wintry scenes on Sunday, with a layer of snow covering most of the country apart from the far south and north.

The snow and strong winds are expected to continue for most of the day, but it could be well into evening before it stops in the north, weather forecasters say.

The transport ministry's roads authority has sprayed 17 million kilos of salt on the roads since Saturday evening in an effort to keep them clear. Nevertheless, there have been a string of accidents due to the difficult conditions and the slip road between the A15 and the A4 was closed for a time after a lorry jack-knifed.

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Snowflake Cold

Most snow for over a decade at closed Scottish ski centres

Patrick Thorne
Inthesnow.com
Sat, 06 Feb 2021 12:17 UTC
snow
Scotland's sensational winter for snowfall is continuing, with what is now, after nearly two months of largely sub-zero temperatures, one of the longest spells of cold snowy weather this century.

Many are comparing this winter to the 'big freeze' of 2010, but there seems to be more snowfall so far than that famously cold, but rather dry winter.

The country's five commercial ski centres are all currently closed as part of the Scottish lockdown and that currently looks set to be the case for the rest of February at least.

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Snowflake Cold

Snowfall in Shimla, India highest in the last 30 years - nearly 2 feet of snow in a day


The Indian Express
Sat, 06 Feb 2021 14:23 UTC
snow
Following snow and rain in most parts of Himachal Pradesh, the weather largely cleared up in the state on Friday and is expected to remain dry over the next week, meteorological officials said.

Snowfall in Shimla was the highest in the last 30 years, the meteorological centre said.

Heavy snowfall, however, has led to the disruption of transport and power supply in parts of the state, especially Shimla district. Kufri and Shimla received nearly two feet of snow on Thursday while Shillaro and Khadrala received 55 and 49 cm each.

PWD officials said that three national highways, one state highway and 461 link roads in the state are currently blocked with snow. The primary roads of Shimla, including the circular road and the bypass road, were cleared of snow on Friday, but authorities have warned motorists to drive with precautions due to a layer of black ice on the road, which is slippery and accident-prone.

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