Woo hoo! Another snow day

[Asher]

Yep.

My brother flew out of Waterloo last night (they have direct flights to Calgary from Waterloo these days on WestJet) and missed the storm. But I have to "work" until the end of day today..

I'm hoping my 11:30am flight tomorrow's okay, since the storm is to end tonight.

[Wezil]

More snow is coming on Sunday so you might get out in between storms.

[Wezil]

TORONTO — The snowstorm that's cancelled or delayed scores of flights has left one B.C. family bound for Halifax in a holding pattern at Pearson International Airport.

Scott Cook, his wife Gloria and their daughter Samantha, 19, left Terrace, B.C., two days ago.

Their Christmas holiday in Halifax will mark the first time in 14 years they've visited Gloria's side of the family — if and when the get there.

The family was scheduled to fly out of Toronto today at 12:30 p.m., but the weather scrubbed that plan.

Mr. Cook says they're keeping their fingers crossed that a promised 9 p.m. flight tonight will get them on their way.

The airport is listing dozens of flight delays and cancellations as a winter storm tightens its grip on southern Ontario.

More than 70 flights are cancelled out of the Toronto airport, with an equal number of delays, on what is one of the busiest travel days of the year.

“It's been a challenge getting from British Columbia,” Gloria Campbell-Cook said.

“We've been left on our own for customer service. We've had to re-book everything and make our own arrangements. It's not been a very pleasant experience. So, it's a little upsetting.”

The family's plane was weather delayed from Terrace, B.C. to Vancouver on Wednesday, and then when they finally arrived in Toronto early Thursday, they missed their connecting flight by 40 minutes. At first, they were told there was no flights until Dec. 22, but then it was determined they could fly out at 12:30 p.m. Friday.

Observing the swirling flurries through Pearson's enormous windows, Scott Cook said he's concerned the 9 p.m. flight may be cancelled as well.

“Looking at the weather, I'm not confident at all,” he said, as his blanket-wrapped daughter Samantha nodded.

“I'm hoping that we get out for Christmas, but I have my doubts.”

While the snow only started flying at Pearson at about 8 a.m., the early delays and cancellations were mainly due to problems at other airports.

The storm is moving eastward across Canada after hitting the U.S. Midwest earlier. More than 300 flights were cancelled at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, and ahead of the storm, more than 500 were cancelled at New York City-area airports.

North of Toronto, at least five people were sent to hospital with serious injuries after a chain-reaction crash on the southbound Highway 400.

The incident began around 11 a.m. when a tractor-trailer jackknifed, causing several vehicles to pile into one another, provincial police said. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening.

About 100,000 people are expected to pass through Pearson today — the last work or school day before the Christmas holiday break for many.

Fearing they wouldn't make it to the airport through the snow, scores of passengers arrived extra early. Mounds of luggage by their sides, many snooze lightly or tap away on laptops.

By noon, most people remained calm, silently watching the flight boards.

Ferdinand Nelson and his wife Eleta, from Brampton, Ont., — some 20 minutes from the airport — arrived before 9 p.m. only to discover their 1:30 p.m. flight to Kingston, Jamaica had been delayed until 9 p.m.

“I figure, this will be an experience, right? But once we get off the ground and get through that, we'll be fine,” he said, chuckling.

Few school buses are operating in southwestern Ontario and in some communities east of Toronto, including Peterborough and Cobourg. Several boards have also closed their schools for the day in anticipation of the storm, including all Thames Valley District schools.

The storm is expected to drop up to 20 centimetres of snow, with higher amounts to the west of Lake Ontario through Hamilton-Niagara.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081219.wontsnow1219/BNStory/National/home

[DirtyMartini]

[QUOTE] Originally posted by Wezil

TORONTO —
Ferdinand Nelson and his wife Eleta, from Brampton, Ont., — some 20 minutes from the airport — arrived before 9 p.m. only to discover their 1:30 p.m. flight to Kingston, Jamaica had been delayed until 9 p.m.

“I figure, this will be an experience, right? But once we get off the ground and get through that, we'll be baked,” he said, chuckling.

fixed

[RedFred]

We got almost an inch accumulation of snow this week. Crisis!

[Lancer]

It was a cold summer in Oregon and its cool since we got to the Phils. I can only assume that a new ice age is upon us.

[Asher]

Before I even left the house, the Flight is already delayed a few hours.

[Richelieu]

Originally posted by Richelieu

F****** white ****!

[Wezil]

We're almost finished digging out.

HAMILTON - A 55-year-old woman who went missing Friday during a blizzard that buried southern Ontario in snow has been found alive.

Donna Molnar of Ancaster, Ont., was found Monday at about 12:30 p.m. by a police dog and its handler that had been part of the team searching for the woman.

Molnar was found conscious in deep snow about 200 metres from where her vehicle was found on Saturday. She was taken to Hamilton General Hospital and treated for hypothermia.

"It would appear that she parked her vehicle and became disoriented in the storm," Hamilton police Insp. Bob Buck told radio station CHML.

It's not known how long Molnar had been in the snow before she was found.

"She was actually buried in the snow, breathing, conscious, but clearly suffering from exposure to the severe elements we're faced with," Buck said.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/12/22/7829151-cp.html

[Zkribbler]

Cold & snow
Warmth, palm trees and beaches

[RedFred]

Palm trees is no guarantee against snow. My neighbour just got back from a week in Palm Springs where she experienced all kinds of odd weather including snow.

...and up here, well, more snow this year than for many years. We have about a foot accumulation now.

This city uses more salt than any other. Could be cost effective if you do not consider how it destroys most types of footwear.

Got above freezing today. Tonight all that wet sloppy mush is going to turn to ice and it will be like commuting in a skating rink.

The famous Vancouver snow removal system (wait until it rains) isn't expected to kick in until later in the week.

[MrFun]

I am here in western Illinois now but my family still live more than an hour north of here in eastern Iowa.

I have a rental car and I am driving up to family on day before Christmas. I don't like what the forecast is saying.

[SpencerH]

I left NJ friday night after a hectic scramble to get a new flight after my original one was cancelled. Up there it was around 34 with freezing rain and sleet. When I arrived home at 11PM it was still over 60. My house was so warm I had to turn on the AC.

[Nikolai]

I want snow for Christmas... We haven't had that for years now...

[b etor]

here, have some of my snow.