April Snow in Kingston

I took this photo of our back yard about five minutes ago. As you can see, it's covered in snow. It started snowing sometime early this morning and has continued throughout the day. I am now beginning to wonder whether or not Spring actually arrives in Canada! Last Saturday the temperature did manage to make it up to about 16 degrees and believe me, this felt positivvely tropical.
Winter is back I suspect, taking its fleetingly final gasps before (we hope) Spring hits us with a vengeance.
The weather is a huge topic of conversation around the staff room tables in Canadian schools! I have been asked about the weather many a time and how winters here compared to those at home. Really, there's no comparison but that's what we're here for. We have expereinced what it is like to live in snow, shovel snow, scrape freezing rain off the windscreens of our car, drive in raging blizzards at 90km per hour whilst barely flinching, jog in the snow and of course, play in the snow.
I have also been educated in the fine art of recognising the many and varied forms of snow.
In fact, did you know that:
-A blizzard is a long lasting snow storm with intense snowfall and unusually high winds?
-Freezing rain is rain which freezes on impact? This effectively coats all exposed surfaces with a layer of clear, shiny ice. A beautiful phenomena except if you need to scrape the windows of your car.
-Hoar frost refers to white crystals deposited on the ground and form when the air is moist and the surface is cold? This effectively makes every blade of grass, branch and leaf look almost like a fairy wonderland.
-Lake effect snow is produced when cold winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, picking up water vapour which then freezes and is deposited on the lake shore?
-Blowing snow is snow on the ground being moved around by the wind?
-Corn snow is coarse, granular wet snow. This is the snow most commonly used by skiers when describing ideal spring skiing conditions. The corn is the result of the diurnal cycle of melting and refreezing.
-Packing snow is snow that is at or near melting point? This snow can be easily packed into snowballs and snow men and snow forts. The possibilities are endless.
-Powder is freshly fallen uncompacted snow? The density and moisture content of this type of snow can vary but skiers and snowboards seriously covet it.
-Slush is snow which partially melts upon reaching the ground to the point that it accumulates in puddles of partially frozen water? This effect can be rather unpleasant if you are jogging and accidently step the wrong way!
These are some of the types of snow I have learnt about since my arrival in Canada. Apparantly, the Inuit people have many more words to describe a multitude of variances.
It's been an experience so far and we have enjoyed experiencing a total climactic contrast.
Having said that, it's time to ditch the snow boots, toques and gloves and don shorts and t-shirts. Vale to Winter and bring on the Spring!