Snow retired.

I have heard of tremendous snowfalls in Tununak.  Snow accumulations of six, even eight feet of packed snow.  Of course, I don't believe it.  It doesn't snow anymore.  I mean, maybe it did, once upon a time.  I have heard elders speak of times when they were young.  Even I have stories like that from my childhood.  Like the Halloween we received two feet of snow and a squirrel, so confused with the weather, climbed up my terrified, costumed friend.  But that doesn't happen anymore.  Snow retired.

Okay, to clarify, it does snow.  But remember, it's retired.  So it isn't that Snow completely stopped, it's just not that concerned with doing its job at the same frequency or intensity.  It often gets caught up in long conversations with Fog or Hail up in Cloudville only to realize that it's now 8:30 and the nightly news is due on as soon as the ball game finishes and, provided it stays awake through the whole game (not likely), it will be much too tired to do much afterward.  Snow also, it seems, acts like many of the snowbirds I know - and seems to head south for the winter.  For example, Orlando reported getting a dusting of snow two days ago.  I guess the winter can be too cold for anyone, even Snow.

So while Snow is in Florida, who is picking up the slack in Tununak?     

Ice.  Ice was always just a seasonal worker.  First getting to work in late fall, Ice would get the ground cold enough so that Snow would have a good foundation on which to do it's job without the risk of melting.  Ice might pick up a few hours over the holidays some years if Snow was tired or busy elsewhere, but after a few days Ice would be on it's way and Snow would resume it's work.  Now, however, Ice has been thrust into full time employment in Tununak.  Where Snow normally covered roads and tundra, Ice has filled in.  It's not for lack of effort, but Ice is a poor substitute.  Ice is slippery and very dense.  Riding a snowmachine over ice is dangerous and painful.  They just weren't made for that.  Ice skates in the other hand...      

Wind has also moved in to help in Snow's absence.  Where Ice is trying to help, Wind is exploiting the situation.  With the new ice roads (and boardwalks, stairs, hills, railings, etc.) Wind has discovered that if it blows hard enough it can move humans.  There have been days (like today) where without my ice cleats I would be in very real danger of being blown downwind and stuck until the wind dies down (had I have been blown downwind when the wind started last week, I would currently have been stuck for about eight days with little hope of making it home any time soon).

I hate Wind.  I have for a long time.  It makes life so difficult - whether biking, or snowboarding, or just walking, the wind pushes me around.  It's just a bully, aware that I can't do anything to fight back against its heat robbing fingers.  Even now it is outside pounding on my walls, trying to intimidate me, threatening me, reminding me that if I try to make it up to school today (school was actually cancelled today due to high wind - 85mph gusts) it will make my walk across the ice a constant challenge.

I hope that I am wrong.  I hope that Snow is just tired and taking some time off.  That it will come around and realize that it misses its old job.  Maybe it will see the mess of things Wind and Ice have made and feel the pull of obligation to return things to their just order.  I mean, what fun is a wind day?  What am I going to do - make wind angels and windmen?  Have a windball fight?  Come on Snow.  Please...