Frozen tulip, Toronto, Canada. I hope it will survive. 2018 Apr 15. Photo 8 by Don Tai
After a lifetime of shoveling snow from driveways and living in Toronto, Canada, it is rare that I am unsure what steps to take. This current weather pattern is increasingly odd. We have had rain, freezing rain, high wind, and now followed by a lot more rain. So, what to do?
On Saturday we started to get freezing rain, for most of the day. Sunday was much of the same. The result is a 4cm thick layer of hard packed snow on the driveway. Last night it started to rain hard, eventually freezing into a thin sheet of ice. Today it will rise in temperature to an expected 9 degrees with heavy rain. This will partially melt the base of snow as well as put a thin sheet of ice on top.
The base coat is very dense, so dense that the car can drive over it and not compress the snow. You cannot shovel the base layer as it is too compacted. I needed to use a metal ice scraper to get underneath the base layer, possibly damaging the driveway.
I can walk on the driveway and dig my boot heels into the snow, providing some grip, but the surface is slick. I risk slipping and falling onto the hard ice layer.
The eaves troughs are frozen shut, resulting in water overflowing. Over 20mm of more rain is expected, so this will continue.
The problem is the continued onslaught of heavy rain and wind. More rain will result in more surface water, which if it cannot drain, will flood rivers and homes. The catch basins need to be free and clear of any obstructions. The base layer will absorb much of the water, hindering efficient runoff into the catch basin.
Freezing rain starts in Toronto, Canada, 2018 Apr 14. Photo 1 by Don Tai
Freezing rain starts in Toronto, Canada, 2018 Apr 14. Photo 2 by Don Tai
Freezing rain starts in Toronto, Canada, 2018 Apr 14. Photo 3 by Don Tai
Freezing rain starts in Toronto, Canada, 2018 Apr 15. Photo 4 by Don Tai
Freezing rain starts in Toronto, Canada, 2018 Apr 16. Photo 5 by Don Tai
Frozen cedar shrub, Toronto, Canada, 2018 Apr 15. Photo 6 by Don Tai
Frozen cedar shrub, macro, Toronto, Canada, 2018 Apr 15. Photo 7 by Don Tai
Frozen tulip, Toronto, Canada. I hope it will survive. 2018 Apr 15. Photo 8 by Don Tai
