Early winter hits Windsor

It’s time to pull out the shovels and winter boots.

Winter has arrived.

Windsor may not have gotten the six-plus feet of snow that our not-too-far-away neighbours in Buffalo, New York got, but a few centimetres of the powdery white stuff has fallen in Windsor-Essex, and it doesn’t look like it’s stopping anytime soon.

Wednesday Nov. 19 saw temperatures drop to record-lows of around -11 degrees Celsius. While Windsor residents may not have been ready for the snow to fall this early, the City of Windsor’s maintenance department is prepared – even though the snow removal budget is already tapped out.

“We’re already over budget and the extra comes from the reserves. But we have people on call and trucks ready to go on November 1 every year,” said Pete Matheson, maintenance director for the city.

“We have dustings almost every year at the beginning of November, it just doesn’t usually last. It’s the cold we weren’t expecting,” said Matheson.

While the salt trucks and snow plows were ready to be deployed, the snow covered yard waste bags full of autumn leaves still waiting to be picked up on many Windsor curbsides. Jelena Muegge, Windsor resident, was unhappy about the early snowfall.

“It’s too soon, I still have my fall decor up and now it looks silly with the snow around it!” Muegge laughed. Her friend Jovanna Burz, on the other hand, was excited for the snow.

“I love it, I love winter! I can’t wait for more,” said Burz.

All 50 U.S. states saw below freezing temperatures (32 degrees Celsius) this week. More than 50 per cent of America was under snow cover, and the lake effect nature of Southwestern Ontario meant roadways were slow-going with traffic accidents across the major highways.

According to Environment Canada, rain is forecasted to join the snow-covered ground soon, and temperatures will reverse from minus double digits to positive double digits. We’re in for an up and down winter Windsor – get ready.

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