Tag Archives: Northwest Territories

Entering the Snowy North

Once we left High Level, Alberta, and headed due north, we encountered temperatures at 0° accompanied by a freezing rain/snow mix. It made driving interesting, to say the least.

A snowy and frozen road surface.
At times the visibility was quite poor, but the trees were accumulating a lovely white coating.
A sun-ray sneaks through the overcast.

Happy Wednesday from the snowy Northwest Territories.

Heat Storm

After entering the Northwest Territories, we encountered very high temperatures (certainly for this area in mid-August) and then a huge rain storm with pancake-size raindrops, sustained fork lightning and high winds. It was quite a display.

Entering the storm.

I tried to get a picture of a lightening fork, but missed on all my attempts.

Storm dispersal.

My understanding is that the prairies and southern Northwest Territories are going to get a series of hot days followed by these intense storms, some of which may contain hail or may become tornadoes. Fingers crossed, we skip those.

Sliding on a Slippery Icy Road

Here is a northern take on Winter Wonderland (my apologies and salutations to Felix Bernard).

Doorbells ring, are you listening?

In the lane, snowplows glistening

A breathtaking sight

We’re trying tonight

To stand up on a slippery icy road

Gone away is the sand truck

Here to stay is a cold front

It screams a north gale

As we plod along

Sliding on a slippery icy road

In the meadow we will build a shelter

And crawl inside to get out of the wind

You’ll say are you freezing

I’ll say not now

But that’s a possibility later on

In a bit, we’ll perspire

As we sit in the fire

We’ll thaw and we’ll stretch

Sam McGee at his best

Sliding on a slippery icy road

In the meadow we can build a shelter

And pretend that winter is all done

That’s quite a feat of self-deluded nonsense

But that’s what happens when you’re freezing cold

When it snows, watch for frostbite

When it blows, get a tissue

We’ll frolic and play, the northern way

Sliding on a slippery icy road.

A little northern humour. 🙂

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Sunset Magnificence

A recent sunset in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, produced this photo.

Because of our geographical position in the north, our sunsets are intense, brilliant, and relatively short. And, of course, as we head into winter, that effect becomes more pronounced.

At 62.5° N latitude, Yellowknife sits in the middle of some of the most spectacular light shows in the world, not the least of which are these dazzling sunsets.

Greetings from the extraordinary light shows of NWT. 🙂

Visual Coffee

This was a recent morning scene.

I hadn’t had coffee yet but the bright morning sun helped me to get going.

Alas, as of a few days ago, this sunny weather turned. It has been a mixture of watery snow that has turned to snow that has turned to rain.

Inevitably though, whatever comes out of the sky over the next couple of weeks will be snow.

That’s the way of the north.

And it will stay for a bit, at least until March. And it will look like this.

Cold, crisp, clear.

🙂

Say Good-bye to Autumn

Here in Northwest Territories, autumn moves quickly. Three weeks ago, the leaves were just starting to turn.

Now the yellow is darkening to brown and black and almost all the leaves are on the ground.

We are about to head into the Northwest Territories’ best season – winter. Gleaming with atmospheric pinks and blues and a low sunlight that bounces off ice particles in the air, the sky is suffused with gentle colour and undulating sparkles.

Here is a favourite winter photo from a couple of years ago.

The Aurora Borealis is amazing, but like the variety of us, it’s not the only light show in town.

Greetings from the remarkable northern lights – of all kinds. 🙂