Tuesday November 8, 2022 | LANGFORD, BC [Updated 5 pm
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Just two weeks after the long-lingering of summer-type weather, in comes a blanket of snow. On the same night as the only full lunar eclipse until March 2025.
Temperatures had dipped to zero by dinner-time yesterday November 7.
What had been occasional light flurries in some areas during the day on Monday became a steady Christmas-like snowfall by evening, glistening under lights as it layered onto landscapes and roof tops.
This is an early snowfall. In many past winters there has been very little to snowfall in Greater Victoria. Snow usually comes in December to February in the south island area. In December 2021 there was snow for Christmas with a followup in mid-February 2022.
Eclipse was safe to look at:
Last night also presented a full eclipse. That was at 3:02 am Pacific Time, at which time the moon will have appeared red (if it could be seen through the snowy skies). Hence the name ‘blood moon’ (due to light refraction of the longer-wavelength orange and red light around the earth (while the blue light gets filtered out).
Lunar eclipses last for several hours (compared to solar, which are comparatively brief).
The full phase of this morning’s eclipse began at 1:09 am and wrapped up at 4:49 am. Lunar eclipses happen when the moon moves between Earth and the sun. Viewing with the naked eye is safe.
There was apparently also an opportunity to also see Uranus shining light blue to the left of the moon, but with the snowfall that was probably a challenge for casual sky viewers.
Snow melting:
While snow remains on rooftops and gardens this morning, temperatures are rising above zero and the white cover of wet-to-fluffy snow is beginning to melt.
As of 9 am this morning the temperature in Langford was 1°C (feeling like -3°C with the light wind). With an expected high of 4°C today, most of the snow will likely melt. But a low of -2°C tonight could help some of it linger.
For the rest of the week the forecasted highs are 6°C Wednesday, 7°C Thursday and Friday, and up to 9°C on Saturday. Lows will hover just above zero for the rest of the week, according to The Weather Network forecast.
Sunrise today was at a lucky 7:11 am. Sunset is at 4:43 pm.
Adaptation to climate change:
Whether you call it climate change or not, the weather and environment around us are in flux, it was pointed out by new Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson as the snowfall beyond the walls of the Belmont Secondary School theatre punctuated his moment of ascension to the top job in the municipality.
Goodmanson suggested at the November 7, 2022 City of Langford inaugural council meeting that systems, procedures and the economy are needing to adapt to changes in our physical environment.
Schools open:
Schools in the west shore and Sooke are open today.
School District 62 (Sooke) issued a Tweet this morning advising about walking, cycling or driving carefully in what are likely slippery conditions.
===== RELATED:
New Langford council sworn-in on a snowy November night (November 7, 2022)
Low tide excitement on Vancouver Island (July 15, 2022)
Overnight snowfall produced power outages, snowdays (January 6, 2022)
There will be a total lunar eclipse on Friday July 27 (August 2, 2018)