Alas, we have made it through the first month of 2026. And has it been a doozy already. I can’t recall the last time we had a winter this harsh in the recent past.
This winter has definitely given 2008 vibes for me. I remember that year being particularly bad – and that level of anxiety seems to have returned this year.
Up until October, I was thinking that, yeah, we won’t be seeing any significant snowfall till at least mid-late December/January, because we’ve had relatively mild winters in the recent past.
Boy, was I wrong. lol
We have been getting our asses kicked this season.
Not only did the snow start in November (much earlier than expected), but we have seen fairly consistent bouts of snow. And just when you feel the slightest reprieve, there’s yet another blast of the white stuff on its way!
Plus, on top of that, it has been cold. Frigid cold, which truly does not help. We have seen continued double-digit temperatures below freezing, with it feeling even colder with the biting wind chill. It’s actually not so bad when it’s snowing, but the temperature is hovering around 0 or slightly above. It’s tolerable, if you’re walking outside. But with the extreme cold that we’ve had, coupled with the amount of snow, it’s been a double-whammy. The excessive dryness in the air has left my hands cracked and feeling like sandpaper, and no amount of hand lotion seems to help alleviate this.
And if it feels like the deep freeze has been lingering, you’re not alone. Meteorologists have noted that we’ve not seen a prolonged cold snap like this in over 10 years. This is largely due to a vast Arctic air mass, known as the polar vortex, that has fixated itself over Southern Ontario. A polar vortex is not uncommon in the winter, but it is unusual for it to last as long as it has this season.
Walking outside is more like a skating/hoping-I-don’t-fall-on-my-ass adventure as the weather changes have left sheets of ice on the sidewalks that, if not salted, take days to melt because of the deep freeze.
Another side effect to all this is doing your regular errands after a major snowstorm. Driving is challenging enough, but try pushing a shopping cart through a parking lot covered in snow. Not fun! Especially when you’re in the path of a car that is trying to park. I had the (dis)pleasure of dealing with this the other day. The lot had technically been plowed, but with the sheer amount of snow we’ve had, it still looked completely blanketed. Maybe if my cart hadn’t been so weighed down, it wouldn’t have felt like such a task. The wheels on a shopping cart aren’t exactly equipped for this weather, so yes, lesson learned.
But that’s the thing: when you get as much snow as we’ve already seen, it creates a domino effect that spills into other aspects of your routine.
As we enter February, we still have a ways to go, but at least it means we are inching closer to the end of what has already felt like a long winter. Before we know it, we’ll be shifting our clocks to observe daylight saving time. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I actually don’t mind the biannual time changes. Yes, there are disadvantages with the changes in your sleep patterns, etc., but generally speaking, it inadvertently gives us something to prepare for/look forward to. It’s a nice change of pace.
Anyways, I’m sure many people have been hibernating during this deep freeze binging their favourite shows and what not. One show I would recommend is Pluribus. It’s a sci-fi drama on Apple TV+ that centers around a woman named Carol (played by Rhea Seehorn) who is essentially immune to a “happiness” virus that has infected nearly all of humanity by merging them into a single, communal consciousness. The show explores the challenges of ‘enforced bliss’ and follows Carol’s journey navigating this abnormal reality and her quest to try and reverse the effects of the virus.
Season 2 is in the works already, but according to reports, it won’t be released until late 2027. So there is plenty of time to get caught up on season 1, if you’re interested.
If you’re like me and still have more than a few books that you started last year and have only gotten halfway through, this might be a good time to pick one of them back up and finish them. (I should take my own advice). lol
Anyhow, as we continue to clamber through the Big Deep Freeze, let’s remember to also take care of each other when outdoors.
Case in point: we had a bad snowstorm a couple weeks ago. Cars were stuck on the roads, unable to gain traction, etc. I observed one particular person struggling to dig themselves out of a street parking spot – with an ice scraper. You might as well just use your own hands in that case. I saw this person and was like, I’ve got to try and help them. So I went and got my mini shovel, which I keep in the car for situations just like this, and offered it to them. They were very appreciative, but unfortunately, it became evident that their main issue was improper tires. Despite shoveling the snow away from around the car, they were unable to get far at all. Luckily, they didn’t live too far from where their car was, so I am hoping they eventually just had it towed. I can only hope that they were inspired to not only get proper winter tires, but also a shovel to keep in the car, after that experience. This is a prime example of why it’s so important to be well-equipped with the right tools if you do need to drive in inclement weather.
We’re all navigating this crazy winter so if we can extend a helping hand to someone in need, we absolutely should, as that act of kindness will come back to you, amplified.
Wishing you all a warm, peaceful, and safe rest of the season.
Sarah Warsi 