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Surprising Snowfall
12/27/2002
Listen in RealAudio 
In Victoria, British Columbia, winters are typically mild, colored a lush wintergreen -- and
heavy snowfall is almost unknown. But when residents woke on December 29, 1996, they were
shocked to see their city at a complete standstill, buried in four feet of snow.
The holiday season began typically mild. But two forces from different neighbourhoods were
converging toward Victoria. A Pacific storm saturated with subtropical air, a "Pineapple
Express," crossed Washington's Olympic Mountains toward Vancouver Island. At the same time, a
frigid Arctic flow, the "Siberian Pipeline," plunged into North America. When the Arctic air
broke through coastal mountain barriers, a frigid wave surged over Vancouver Island. "Express"
merged with "Pipeline" right over Victoria.
Victorians awoke December 28th with heavy snow falling on cedars, as well as Douglas firs, and
Gerry oaks. Every cloud that rolled overhead was pregnant with snowflakes targeted on the
city.
The following morning, an eerie change puzzled residents. Could it be ... Silence!?! Victoria
was muffled in a sea of snow. Streets wore white covers that prevented traffic from moving.
Victoria's few snowplows, blades attached to dump trucks, proved useless in the deep snow.
By the time the snow tapered to flurries and rain, the Blizzard of 1996's two-day snowfall
measured a record 48.8 inches. Damage to buildings and infrastructure, plus clean-up, cost
$200 million Canadian dollars.
The Weather Notebook is produced by the Mount Washington Observatory, with funding from The
National Science Foundation, and "The Beauty of All-Wheel Drive," Subaru.
Today's Links
Victoria Blizzard of 1996:
http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/events/vicsnow96.htm
Photo Album for Blizzard of 1996:
http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/events/vicsnowphoto/vicsnow96-photos.htm
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