An Eight-Snow-Plow morning. YOW!

My job requires me to travel often, and in all seasons, from YOW (Ottawa International, the airport in this clip) to various cities in the United States, usually by way of a plane change in Toronto.

The first snowfall of winter usually arrives in these locations in November, but can show up as early as October. The season's last snowfall typically happens in April although in some years a late skiff or even a dump of snow can land in May. Big snowstorms of over 10 cm a day (4 inches) normally occur about three or four times a year. But major blizzards that dump 25 cm (10 inches) or more in one day are rare events that happen once a decade.

Both the Ottawa and Toronto airports are well prepared for heavy snowfall, be it sudden and unpredicted, or heralded for days. These airports spend many millions of dollars on snow removal equipment and personnel. There are eight big snow removal rigs in this shot, and that’s just one corner of the airport!