This winter has been relatively balmy in comparison to the Arctic blast that hit Richmond in the first week of February four years ago.
During the first weekend of February and the Monday rush hours that followed, there was, for once, actual “snow chaos” in Richmond, as the News’ front page headline alludes.
As reported by the News, there were “Two days of record snowfall, a weekend of flurries highlighted by thunder snow and a freak storm during Monday’s rush hour in Richmond challenged the best of drivers, shut down the Canada Line and kept city crews working around the clock.”
YVR recorded 31 centimetres of snow from Friday to the Monday, while trains on the Canada Line became stuck heading north on two of the four days, with passengers having to be rescued.
The snow also hampered car traffic in and out of the city on the Monday, with accidents on the Alex Fraser and Arthur Laing bridges causing major delays.
The “mayhem” even stretched into the Tuesday morning, with drivers blocked from crossing the train tracks near Shell Road at Alderbridge Way, when lights began flashing and barriers came down, despite the fact no train was coming.
After a lengthy delay, some people began lifting a barrier to let others through, while others directed traffic through the flashing lights.
Count your blessings for this week’s forecast rain in Richmond.
