by Angela Sanford
Humans have an undeniable fascination with tragedy and disaster. Think about how we instinctively slow down to look at an incident on the road, unable to resist the urge to assess the scene. The larger and more catastrophic the event, the more we feel compelled to observe and analyze. This instinct isn’t purely voyeuristic—it serves two key purposes: satisfying our innate curiosity and helping us interpret situations to better understand and mitigate potential risks in our own lives.
Over the past week, I’ve been closely following the wildfires in California after witnessing, firsthand, the same destruction in San Francisco last spring. The imagery is both haunting and mesmerizing, showing the devastating impact these fires have on landscapes, wildlife, and human lives. But beyond this immediate emotional response, it has also prompted me to reflect on something much closer to home—our winters in Nova Scotia, and specifically, our snowfall levels.
I’ll admit, I’m not particularly fond of the cold that ushers in the snow each year, but I do appreciate the benefits of living in a climate with four distinct seasons. Snowfall, in particular, serves an essential role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystem. It provides a critical water source as it melts, stabilizes the soil, and creates insulation that helps many plants and animals survive the harsh winter months.
This winter, while it feels like it’s flying by, seems to have brought less snow than I remember from years past. This perception led me to dig into historical snowfall data for Nova Scotia. Our record snowfall occurred in 1972, with an incredible 457.9 cm*, while the lowest recorded snowfall was just 57.7 cm in 1960*. However, my assumption of declining snowfall was challenged by more recent data. Over the past decade, we’ve averaged 269.55 cm* of snow annually—not a record, but significantly more than I expected; though this winter there certainly hasn’t been such an amount to date, making me wonder what we can expect in the coming weeks.
It is important to understand the role of snowfall and how it contributes to the replenishment of water supplies, ensuring that rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers remain full as it gradually melts in the spring. It prevents soil erosion and helps regulate the temperature of the ground, offering protection for plant roots and even the smallest creatures in our ecosystem, including those I’m less fond of, like ticks. A decrease in snowfall can disrupt this balance, leading to drier conditions in the spring and summer and amplifying the risk of wildfires, much like the situation NS experienced not so long ago.
When I think about California’s persistent droughts and the destruction they bring, I feel a renewed appreciation for the snow we receive each winter in Nova Scotia. The slow and steady release of water from melting snow plays a vital role in delaying the onset of dry seasons, maintaining soil moisture, and reducing the vulnerability of forests and grasslands to wildfires. Without this natural buffer, the risks to our ecosystem, and our way of life, would be far greater.
While I may grumble about the cold which brings the snow, I’m reminded that snowfall is much more than a seasonal inconvenience—it’s a critical component of a healthy and resilient ecosystem.
*Data collected from Extreme Weather Watch (January, 15, 2025)
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