I read in the paper this morning that Vancouver is expecting -17 degree temperatures by Sunday. That is frickin cold. Especially if you live outside - as over 2500 people in Vancouver do.

As we left Boston yesterday under sunny skies after a night of flood worthy rains, we heard of this thing called snow falling in NY and just above us, back in New Hampshire. So we’re wondering, are the god’s of weather smiling on us and keeping it away until we reach more southern climes, or are they about to slam us in the perfect storm from behind and in front?

It's starting to snow again in Vancouver – the latest in a series of unseasonable events this winter in what's supposed to be Canada's mild West Coast.

Few things take me back to childhood as much as the sight of white flakes in the sky. I see them, and I'm suddenly transported back to the living room window of our house on Bearbrook Road, wondering if this would be the snowfall that closed the schools for the day. Or the front passenger seat of my parents' car, with my dad driving, windshield wipers urgently dialing slush off the windshield, and the snow doing that swooping-toward-you thing it does when you're in a moving car – a feeling of danger barely held at bay by the reassuring presence of a parent. Or walking home from a friend's house at eight or nine, when the sky turned orange with reflected streetlight and the tires of passing cars crunched grooves in the road.

Hi,

As I wrote here, the rain stopped.

Here's a small view of what I saw today. Beautiful!

For all sizes take a look at my Flickr page

Stay safe in the cold and snow.

Al

What fun this white stuff is! I am actually not snowed in as many colleagues are, but I hurt my back slipping and sliding around on a long walk with my dog yesterday, so I have opted out of the 40 minute walk to work. Instead I am working from home today. And feeling lucky that I have one. I was imagining that shelters would be having a difficult time with this weather. And sure enough, they are.

I called the DTES Womens Shelter just now and spoke to their volunteer coordinator Sara (604) 681-8480 ext 224. From the sound of things they could really use some help. When I asked her what she needed the most, supplies or bodies, she couldn't decide. She suggested I bring hats, gloves, sweaters, blankets and when I asked her what would be the best time for me to come by for a shift, she paused to think about it and then answered: anytime. They are operating 24 hours right now and need all the help they can get round the clock.

If you are feeling inspired to change the way you relate to situations like this, I encourage you to head down there.

Also , I just called around a few car rental type places. I want to get someone to donate a car equipped to deal with the snow, so I can go around and collect scarves, hats, blankets or donations to deliver to the shelters who need them so badly. Watch this space.

Hi,

...Snow on the mountains!

I've been tracking this event for the past six years and it always occurs in November. When it starts happening in December or January, that will be the Vancouver/GVRD benchmark for the effects of climate change and global warming.

Rarely do the first rains of November bring snow, but the second or third will. It will rain like it is now for three to five days and then the skies will clear and the mountains will be dusted with snow.