The First Snow

My landing in Beijing has been on my back due to a terrible flu. But what best weather when you are bed ridden than soft falling snow! Cozy in bed, with a super-healing Chinese ginger soup, I really enjoyed looking at the soft flakes flying around my window and quietly landing onto the garden below. 

The city has grown quieter, people not daring going out with "such weather". With less than two centimeter precipitations, my Canadian blood smiles at the fuss about such minimal quantities! Highways have been closed Wednesday night until Thursday afternoon, flights were delayed. However school remained open. (Does it says something about the importance the Chinese attribute to education or to the no-worry go-merry attitude they have about child rearing?)

Of course in a city where snow comes once or twice a year, snow removal equipment is lacking. In my compound, the workers were pushing the snow around with broomsticks! You can see some more photos here on this blog about snow removal, Chinese style. Very cute. 
During that time, Tami who is visiting us from Israel, enjoyed the Great Wall by herself (quite a rare feat here in populous China!!)

It is important to mention that since our arrival in Beijing 4 months ago, no drop of water has fallen from the sky. No rain, not even the idea of a rainy cloud. Dry. Beijing is dry dry dry. My hands and my skins have been suffering. But of course that is nothing compare to the pains peasants have this year. In fact, the Chinese government has even started called this dry spell the worst drought of the last 50 years. So in a Chinese way, large scale measures had to be taken. After of 110 days of no rain, the Beijing Meteorological Bureau took measures to seed the clouds and harvest rain! They informed us that they launched in the night of Wednesday to Thursday a number of sticks of silver iodine to make the snow fall thicker, and also some kind of special plane. Here is a portion of their report: 

By 5 pm yesterday, 12 silver iodide rockets had been launched into the skies of Beijing's suburban Pinggu, Miyun and Changping districts.
The local air force had also dispatched a transport plane to release 400 liters of liquid nitrogen in northern Beijing, an official statement said.
Twenty-one rocket launch bases in the city and 25 ground precipitation enhancement facilities in the mountains of eight districts were used to seed the clouds, it added.
Zhang said these actions could increase rainfall by 10 to 15 percent.
The precipitation enhancement involved at least 200 people.

Of course when it is question to assess the impact on the environment, as usual, there is little concern shown. Maybe one day someone will ask the question about the impact of all these climatic manipulations. For now, the official answer is "Mei Wenti!", No problems! For now, as usual, la fin justifie les moyens!