Buried homes and howling winds

Just before my business trip to Rankin Inlet, the community was hit with one of the biggest snow storms in recent memory. Considering that Rankin is at the centre of what has been called the blizzard capital of Canada, this turned out to be a legendary storms. 

Throughout the trip I heard tales of buried homes and howling winds that kept people indoors for days. Half a week later the evidence was all around for me to explore. The kids, of course, took full advantage of the snow to enjoy all the new play surfaces and improvised slides. In every neighbourhood I visited I found children had taken over, and were flying down from rooftops and digging tunnels through snowbanks. 

A lot of the planning work I do involves preparation for snow buildup. Snow fences are a key part of clearing the way for edge subdivisions, so I figured I should check out Rankin's. The accumulation piles seemed to be working, but what what surprised me were the exquisite snow patterns which develop around the fence. A combination of ice, hardened snow and the channeling force of the swirling wind creates some very cool waves in what looks like a frozen and flowing ocean.