It wasn’t the biggest NYC snowfall on record. That was 24.5 inches in Central Park on January 22-24, 2016. We actually got off easy compared to other coastal areas that lost power and incurred major property damage or got record snowfalls like Rhode Island’s 37 inches. But at an official 19.7 inches in Central Park, the snowstorm was big enough—ninth biggest on record. And for Marc and me, living in an apartment building in Greenwich Village, no commuting to work, no shoveling walks or drives, as long as we didn’t lose power it was something to enjoy.
The snow began falling in our neighborhood on Sunday, February 22, around 10:30 a.m but didn’t get serious until afternoon when it started coming down faster and heavier—big, thick flakes swirling around—and the winds really picked up. Marc shot this video around 6:30 p.m. in Jackson Square Park across from our building.
The blizzard, aka bomb cyclone, aka snowicane, kept up all night with a few rounds of thunder and lightening, aka thundersnow, thrown in.
This is what we woke up to on Monday morning, February 23. Marc shot this video around 10:00 a.m. out our south-facing 13th floor hall window, numbered as a 14th floor when the building went up in 1931. Our wing was added in 1960.
This was the view out our main windows an hour or two later.
The snow was damp and heavy, bending treetops in the courtyard below. Marc scooped up the snow on our window ledge. Perfect for snowballs.
Marc volunteers at Jane Street Garden, a little gated community garden two blocks from our home. Volunteers are responsible for clearing the walks on the two street-facing sides of the garden—on Jane Street and Eighth Avenue—after a snow. So out he went at around 1:00 p.m. to help get the job done.
Another regular volunteer named Jason had already cleared narrow paths on both sides of the garden. Marc grabbed a shovel and helped widen them. A passing neighbor named Nick grabbed another shovel and pitched in. A third regular volunteer named David, moved to the city and Greenwich Village only three months ago, had hauled two 20-pound bags of ice melt from a hardware store two avenues away. Two 20-pound bags? Well, he did have to stop a few times, he said.
When the work was done, Marc stepped into the garden to capture some of its ephemeral beauty smothered in pristine, still-falling snow.
Then he called me. “Meet me at the garden. It’s beautiful out here.” The snow was tapering off. “Okay, let me get my clothes on.” Long underwear; two pairs of socks; lined pants; warm sweater; snow boots; long down coat with hood; two wrap-around wool scarves; warm wool hat; warm, waterproof gloves. Okay, ready.
It was time for Marc to close up. But, first, we went back into the garden for a few minutes, trudging like kids in our snow boots through shin-high snow, to enjoy this mini winter wonderland while it was fresh.
The snow piled high on the trees and bushes was a work of art.
Four young people were putting the finishing touches on three little snow creatures they’d created, perched on a bench toward the back of the garden.
We let them finish, complimenting their work. Then Marc locked the gate, and we headed west on Jane Street four blocks to the Hudson River.
Mayor Mamdani had ordered all nonessential vehicles off the roads from 9:00 p.m. Sunday to noon Monday, so streets were still empty.
Where Jane Street meets the West Side Highway next to Hudson River Park and the river, two young women were finishing another snowman.
The woman in the purple jacket was working completely barehanded, which surprised us because it was cold out. I’d pull off my gloves to fish my camera out of my coat pocket, take a quick photo or two or three, and quickly put my gloves back on and my hands in my pockets to warm up. But this woman didn’t seem to mind it. She was all smiles.
It was windier on the river than at the garden, four blocks east and sheltered by buildings to the west and south. The wind was coming from the west, and the trees along the river were blown clean of snow. But a walking path had already been cleared on the promenade, which impressed us. We remember coming to the river after another big snow not so long ago, we’re not sure which one, and having to do our own trailblazing.
The clouds were racing, the waters choppy and gunmetal gray with maybe eight hardy Canadian geese paddling close against the promenade wall. The sun made ghostly appearances in and out, in and out. Each time I stripped off my gloves to try to get a photo, it disappeared, so I finally gave up.
I did take a photo of another snowman. And I wanted to take photos of others, and the two families we saw already out, not 30 minutes since the snow let up, making the most of the official Snow Day Mayor Mamdani had declared: two girls and two boys having a girls against boys snowball fight; two other boys sledding down a small rise. “I almost fell!” one yelled when he arrived safely at the bottom. But it was just too cold to take off my gloves.
We walked south four blocks to West 11th Street and headed back east into the shelter and warmth of the Village.
The snow had stopped and the mists were clearing by the time we got home to this view out our main window.
Dusk fell soon after.
Today, Wednesday, February 24, came clear and bright.
And now the cleanup begins.
Happy February!
Gini's Nature News 