In between days with flights canceled due to snow storms, I safely got to Boston two weeks ago for the start of a semester of PhD research at MIT. But before I dig into the snow situation, let me say a word about my flights. Last year I wrote a post about my frustrations with Lufthansa, but this time my experience was much better. With a delayed flight into Munich, I would have missed my connection to the States if it wasn't for a personal service bus picking me up directly from the plane, driving me over the tarmac to the right terminal and channeling me through security. Ten minutes later I had my seat belt fastened on my connecting flight with a few minutes spare.
Upon arrival the cold hit me, even if I spent only a few minutes waiting for a taxi. The temperature was around -10 degrees (Celsius, of course) but it was the wind that really caused the damage. I was very thankful for the fresh soup my new flatmate and her beautiful dog had prepared me upon arrival. Within days I would become familiar with the concept of wind chill and the associated warnings about frostbite omnipresent in the weather forecasts. But cold we can deal with, armed with a thick scarf and the blue cap my friend Sanne made me (thanks!), and most importantly with a few years of experience with Danish winter.
But then there is the snow. Here one may argue that Denmark also gets snow in winter, but it would be like pointing out there's no need to worry about a sunburn in the Canary Islands because the same sun can sometimes be observed from Denmark. Technically correct but also largely irrelevant. The amount of snowfall is of another order of magnitude. The dynamics are altered. Usually during or shortly after the snow, the roads get plowed and a salty mixture melts the remains into a layer of dirty slush. To be fair, that happens here too. But it is not as simple as that. One of the more intriguing complications that I had never previously considered: what to do with all the snow?
When a storm drops half a meter of snow, the streets still get cleared and so do the sidewalks, but that leaves immense piles of snow safely separating cars from pedestrians. The piles block part of the road and can greatly limit visibility at crossroads. A day or two after heavy snowfall the sidewalks are usually in decent shape (although a bit of acrobacy can be helpful to avoid getting stuck), thanks to relentless efforts from city employees and civilians. Boston has a law which requires its citizens to shovel the walkways in front of their houses within hours after the end of any plowable event. Empty lots are used as snow farms to deposit excess snow but even they have their limits. Dumping the snow into the Charles River is prohibited for environmental reasons, although there has been some debate about temporarily lifting the ban. During the last few days the city has been aggressively melting snow as well as literally driving truckloads out of the city, to make room for more to come.
Even for a city that is used to winter storms I am told that this year is exceptional and the statistics back that up. Some all time records have already been broken, including those of most snow in seven as well as thirty day time spans and that of most snow in February (already!). The winter has entered the “Top 10” of overall snowfall records and there are still a few weeks of prime snowing season left to attack the winter of 1995-1996's all-time record. The Boston metro (“The T”) has had trouble operating and even closed entirely last Tuesday – its head has meanwhile resigned. When storms are the worst schools close and kids get a snow day. Such days are anticipated every winter and compensated elsewhere, but with the amount of snow days this season (four in the last two weeks only) the summer holiday may get shortened.
Although I am looking forward to explore the city under more Spring-like conditions, the weather is excellent for hot chocolate and research productivity. I have been welcomed by very nice people and I watched my first ever Super Bowl (and even liked American Football!). I ordered snow boots and joked that their arrival would keep the snow away. Since I got them on Tuesday that has worked surprisingly well, but while I am writing this the National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for tonight and tomorrow. They predict the winter storm will bring a foot of snow or more, by which they mean about 30 cm should be expected.
As I started to complain about even more snow and even less space to put it, the news struck about two terror attacks in the Danish capital leaving two dead and several wounded to place it all into perspective. So let it snow. But while we are at it... let's break that 1995 record so there is something to write home about!
