I've been watching the coverage of the amazing winter storm south of here.  In a normal winter, I live in a really snowy place. But so far this season, we've had a paltry 8.1 inches/205mm of snow, and the ground is bare - unlike some of those places hit by the storm.

Our temperatures, on the other hand, are pretty average for the middle of winter. Right now it is 12F/-11C with nighttime lows just below 0F/-18C. It could easily be -25F/-32C without the wind chill, so we're watching for the other shoe to drop. 😉  

Posted by: @fantasia

Yesterday and today we are receiving our first major snowstorm and blizzard we've had in a long, long time.

Is the snow on the ground still around, fantasia? How is the rest of your state now? Your kids must be having a blast playing in the snow! Or is it still too cold to be outside for any length of time?

Interesting, @stargazer, that you have not had much snow this winter, when our side of Lake Michigan (and more specifically, Lake Huron) has had a fairly good amount. I don't know how many inches have fallen, but for the past two weeks, with the exception of a brief warm-up spell between Christmas and New Year's Day, the landscape has been white. And since New Year's Eve, snow has fallen every day—some days flurries (at times heavy); other days heavy snow squalls.

As I type now, the snow has begun falling gently again, and this is to ramp up later this morning and until midnight, or so. Our next good chance of full-on snow is maybe Saturday, and what appears more definite, on Monday.  

It is quite cold out this week, with temperatures ranging from -8C / 17.6F daytime to -15C / 5F nighttime, with windchills throughout the days and nights being a fair bit colder ... days the -mid-teens C; nights the -mid 20s C.

This will start rebounding somewhat on Friday, while still nicely below freezing so the snow stays (and more comes). These much colder days, it is tricky walking with the ice and the strong winds (no sidewalks), so I have been swimming more. However, come Friday, I will be also be walking again, when it is safe to do so on the picturesque country roads.  

This winter is so different than last year's, which was pitiful in terms of good snowfalls. This year is what an Ontario winter should be. It is looking good for our family skiing holiday (downhill, cross-country, and snowshoeing) at the lovely Blue Mountains, a few hours NE of us in the rural Collingwood area by the wildly beautiful Georgian Bay.