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Freeze! No, that wasn't a command; that was an exclamation, you don't actually need to freeze, pandas. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere right now, you're probably experiencing some crazy winter weather. And although 2023 was the Earth's hottest year recorded in history, it still had its fair share of winter storms.

Even now, at the very beginning of 2024, we're experiencing lots of snow and icy conditions. Just two weeks ago, CNN wrote about why we still have extremely cold weather when the planet warms to record levels.

One positive aspect of this worrisome trend is that this kind of weather can sometimes create some beautiful scenes out in nature and in our cities. That's why we're continuing our yearly trend of presenting you with lists of beautiful and sometimes chuckle-worthy pictures of winter doing its thing.

Bored Panda reached out to Energy Meteorologist Andrew Markowitz. He's a science communicator on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter (X) who talks about all things weather. He makes informative but entertaining videos explaining things like the Polar Vortex and El Niño, and he presents his viewers with fascinating bite-sized weather facts. We talked with Andrew about extreme winters, how climate change is affecting the seasons, and how he became a meteorologist.

More info: Andrew Markowitz on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter (X)

#1

Ice Sheet From A Leaf

Ice Sheet From A Leaf

reddit.com Report

It's winter right now in the Northern Hemisphere, and just this morning, I saw a post about how the darkest 10 weeks of the year are finally over. The five weeks before the winter solstice and five weeks after it are the darkest 10, with December 21 being the darkest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

That's the day when astronomical winter begins. Meteorological winter starts on the 1st of December, and people living in the Northern Hemisphere have already seen their fair share of crazy winter weather.

Sweden reported their lowest temperature in decades, at a whopping -48F on January 5th. The U.S. reported freezing temperatures of -30F from the northern Rockies, northern Kansas, and Iowa.

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    #2

    Whenever It Freezes This Happens To Our Spare Bedroom Windows

    Whenever It Freezes This Happens To Our Spare Bedroom Windows

    OMurph3 Report

    #3

    Accumulated Snow Depth Outside My House (Banana For Scale)

    Accumulated Snow Depth Outside My House (Banana For Scale)

    It's more than 15 bananas high. I measured this morning. We'll likely get a fair bit more snow, but it's also starting to warm up a little in the daytime, so this is probably the maximum for this season. For those who still think in the old-fashioned measurement systems, it’s about 230 cm or 7 and a half feet.

    okuboheavyindustries Report

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    So Bored Panda reached out to a professional in the field – Meteorologist Andrew Markowitz. Lately, he too has been covering the shenanigans of the Arctic Blast in the U.S. on his TikTok channel, which has over 97k followers and 1.4M views.

    Much of what we see in these pictures can be the product of extreme weather. What exactly is an extreme winter? Andrew says that it all depends on the location. The best way to determine this, the meteorologist says, would be by calculating averages.

    "If your temperatures are much colder than average (more than 5 degrees or so) or you get much more snowfall than normal, then that would qualify as an extreme winter. Sometimes, this can be localized or other times more widespread."

    #4

    I Took A Picture Of Our Road On A Winter Night

    I Took A Picture Of Our Road On A Winter Night

    ShawnBStudios Report

    #5

    Flowers After An Ice Storm

    Flowers After An Ice Storm

    reddit.com Report

    #6

    That's Frightening

    That's Frightening

    Jason_Sheppard_ Report

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    "Some regions are much more equipped to handle winter weather than others, which is what matters the most." These are places that have frequent cold winters, so they're better prepared for this kind of weather. "8 [inches] of snow or 10 degrees in Atlanta is much different than in Boston," the meteorologist explains.

    #7

    Photos I Took In Port Stanley, Ontario Canada. Combination Of Severe Wind, Cold, Water And A Little Sand. The Base For Mother Nature’s Sculptures Was A Gate And Lamp Posts On A Pier

    Photos I Took In Port Stanley, Ontario Canada. Combination Of Severe Wind, Cold, Water And A Little Sand. The Base For Mother Nature’s Sculptures Was A Gate And Lamp Posts On A Pier

    HubertVan Report

    #8

    Freshly Fallen Snow

    Freshly Fallen Snow

    Mjanzalone Report

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    #9

    How About That For A Snow Depth?

    How About That For A Snow Depth?

    willd14 Report

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    okpkpkp
    Community Member
    9 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Donner's Summit? I was up there one winter (not THAT one) and it was unreal.

    Cynthia Marrs
    Community Member
    9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This looks piled up from the road clearing. Makes me hope the boys aren't in danger of it caving in.

    kkathleen517
    Community Member
    9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Isn't that dangerous!!? Get out of that!! What if it caves in on them?!

    Bob Brooce
    Community Member
    9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think these guys deserve an honorable mention. It looks like they've got at least 2 shovels, and (I think) an avalanche probe. Rather than digging to show depth they may have been smart enough to dig an avalanche pit to test stability before playing with their snowmobiles. Hopefully they've also got helmets and just took them off while digging.

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    When we read about extreme cold during winter, one thing might pop up in our minds. Why is it so cold if the scientists say every year gets progressively hotter? As we mentioned earlier, 2023 was the hottest year in history. And US scientists are predicting that 2024 might be even hotter. Climate change is the reason behind this phenomenon, and we asked Andrew to give us a quick rundown of how it is affecting extreme winter events.

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    #10

    Strange Ice Pattern On The Car After Driving Through A Blizzard

    Strange Ice Pattern On The Car After Driving Through A Blizzard

    xhilaryx Report

    #11

    Oulanka National Park, Finland (-23°C/-9°F)

    Oulanka National Park, Finland (-23°C/-9°F)

    katiya Report

    #12

    This Snow Drift On The Side Of A Shed

    This Snow Drift On The Side Of A Shed

    QuasarMaster Report

    The first factor that influences extreme winters is the loss of Arctic sea ice. "Warming is occurring faster in the Arctic than anywhere on the planet, and this is the most noticeable impact we're seeing," Meteorologist Andrew Markowitz says. 

    "Faster warming in the Arctic generally leads to warming temperatures worldwide, but [it] also can disrupt the jet stream, which would support continued extreme cold 'Polar Vortex' events. Winters will likely be milder, but extreme cold snaps will still happen," Andrew adds.

    #13

    The Way The Snow Melted Off My Porch

    The Way The Snow Melted Off My Porch

    awstrom Report

    #14

    Surfer After Riding Waves In Lake Superior During Polar Vortex

    Surfer After Riding Waves In Lake Superior During Polar Vortex

    Devon Hains Photography , Devon Hains Photography Report

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    #15

    Great Way To Measure Though

    Great Way To Measure Though

    BCbaydoll Report

    Warmer sea-surface temperatures are the second factor. Andrew tells Bored Panda that, due to climate change, rain might replace snow in seaside areas. "In areas closer to the coast, this means that snowstorms at 31 or 32 degrees would instead become rainstorms at 33 or 34 degrees with an easterly wind," Andrew explains. "So those marginal events that at one point were snow will more likely be rain. It could also argue for more intense lake-effect snow events."

    #16

    Freezing Temperatures And Strong Winds Have Created Breathtaking Formations Of Ice In Lithuania’s Resort Town Nida

    Freezing Temperatures And Strong Winds Have Created Breathtaking Formations Of Ice In Lithuania’s Resort Town Nida

    Antanas Miežanskas Report

    #17

    Frozen Snow Lift At Big White Ski Resort, British Columbia, Canada

    Frozen Snow Lift At Big White Ski Resort, British Columbia, Canada

    Official Big White Group , Official Big White Group Report

    #18

    This Is Tony - Our 5’10” Terrain Parks Day Lead Extraordinaire. This Is Also The Snow Bank In C-Lot. How Many Feet (Or Tonys) Tall Do You Think It Is?

    This Is Tony - Our 5’10” Terrain Parks Day Lead Extraordinaire. This Is Also The Snow Bank In C-Lot. How Many Feet (Or Tonys) Tall Do You Think It Is?

    Sierra-at-Tahoe Report

    The third factor is that, most likely, we will be seeing less and less snow. "Median snowfall in general is likely to decrease, and there will be fewer snow events per winter, as well as more really low snow winters," Andrew goes on. "However, big snowstorms would still occur and perhaps could have a higher ceiling, with more moisture in the atmosphere due to warming."

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    #19

    That's A Whole Iceberg

    That's A Whole Iceberg

    HasanHaiNL Report

    #20

    Snow Removal In Montenegro, Durmitor Mountain, Mid April

    Snow Removal In Montenegro, Durmitor Mountain, Mid April

    _Harpija_ Report

    #21

    Why Bother With A Beer Glass When You Can Just Use Ice

    Why Bother With A Beer Glass When You Can Just Use Ice

    CaptainWisconsin Report

    "Meteorology was my lifelong passion, and I think my purpose in life is to keep people informed and safe from natural disasters," Andrew tells us when we asked him what inspired him to become a meteorologist. When we think 'meteorologist,' most of us probably associate it with weather presenters. But Andrew has found a new way to reach out to people: TikTok.

    #22

    I’m Up In Mammoth Now And The Amount Of Snow Here Is Amazing. This Is A Photo My Son Took From The Gondola Up To The Mountain Today

    I’m Up In Mammoth Now And The Amount Of Snow Here Is Amazing. This Is A Photo My Son Took From The Gondola Up To The Mountain Today

    LPRamsey Report

    #23

    My Walk Home This Evening

    My Walk Home This Evening

    michellerdixon Report

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    #24

    This Tree After An Ice Storm In Illinois

    This Tree After An Ice Storm In Illinois

    Heres_your_Chippy Report

    "I saw social media as a way to connect with people who may no longer receive weather from TV news (because of cord cutting) and are instead trusting less reliable sources," Andrew Markowitz explains his reasoning for using TikTok and Instagram to educate people. The less reliable sources, according to him, "include weather apps and hypesters who post extreme weather solutions with no scientific validity just for clicks."

    #25

    The Way The Snow On My Windshield Rolled Itself Up Like A Swiss Roll

    The Way The Snow On My Windshield Rolled Itself Up Like A Swiss Roll

    Artane_33 Report

    #26

    Home Depot Left The Sprinklers On Overnight In Freezing Weather

    Home Depot Left The Sprinklers On Overnight In Freezing Weather

    mangoklutz Report

    #27

    Our Incredible "Iceman", Shane Wolken, Has Taken The Challenge! A Photo Capturing This Brave Feat - Washing The Crane In Frigid Temperatures To Protect It From Long-Term Damage

     Our Incredible "Iceman", Shane Wolken, Has Taken The Challenge! A Photo Capturing This Brave Feat - Washing The Crane In Frigid Temperatures To Protect It From Long-Term Damage

    Mike Grantz Report

    "With TikTok, I felt that this was a niche that no one had captured, and your videos could theoretically reach anyone in the world," Andrew explains his fascination. "It's very easy for misinformation to spread like wildfire without any kind of vetting, so I believe it's important for scientists to be on these platforms to spread accurate info," he adds.

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    #28

    Canadian Winter

    Canadian Winter

    DazedlyAppoint47 Report

    #29

    I Used The Grill On Sunday Night, But I Lost It Now. Working On A Plan To Find It Today

    I Used The Grill On Sunday Night, But I Lost It Now. Working On A Plan To Find It Today

    TahoeGuyM Report

    #30

    Snowfall In Hokkaido, Northern Japan

    Snowfall In Hokkaido, Northern Japan

    tak_tatata Report

    Andrew is definitely right on the topic of misinformation about science online. According to the public interest research organization Advance Democracy, in 2023, there has been a surge in the amount of content denying climate change. The social media platform X (formerly Twitter) is the biggest culprit, as the number of posts "more than tripled" for the second year in a row.

    #31

    -50 Degrees In Yakutsk, Russia

    -50 Degrees In Yakutsk, Russia

    pupsikandr Report

    #32

    The Frost On My Car Window This Morning

    The Frost On My Car Window This Morning

    vdall Report

    #33

    These Frozen Webs

    These Frozen Webs

    pt_hime Report

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    #34

    The Way The Snow Melted On This Pole

    The Way The Snow Melted On This Pole

    teenypanini Report

    #35

    Sister's Boyfriend Cracked An Egg On Our Front Porch. -28°C

    Sister's Boyfriend Cracked An Egg On Our Front Porch. -28°C

    absolutemonarch101 Report

    #36

    California Snow

    California Snow

    EOtirolf Report

    #37

    Sent To Me By A Friend. Human For Scale

    Sent To Me By A Friend. Human For Scale

    TahoeWeather Report

    #38

    Calgary, Alberta This Morning When It Was -30 Degrees

    Calgary, Alberta This Morning When It Was -30 Degrees

    911_reddit Report

    #39

    This Ice Wheel In My Neighborhood

    This Ice Wheel In My Neighborhood

    JRDiesel Report

    #40

    Here Is The Entrance To The Marketing Office

    Here Is The Entrance To The Marketing Office

    sugarbowlresort Report

    #41

    It Got A Little Icy In My Neighborhood

    It Got A Little Icy In My Neighborhood

    barbiereif Report

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    #42

    Picture I Took Of My Driveway During Day 2 Of Snowmageddon

    Picture I Took Of My Driveway During Day 2 Of Snowmageddon

    OldCrow1892 Report

    #43

    Geological Strata Of A Canadian Winter

    Geological Strata Of A Canadian Winter

    fibonarco Report

    #44

    Oh, Poor Buffalo Baby

    Oh, Poor Buffalo Baby

    eustace225 Report

    #45

    Cold Wave In Japan

    Cold Wave In Japan

    green1 Report

    #46

    That's 1/32 Of A Car

    That's 1/32 Of A Car

    JodyJFoss Report

    #47

    A Picture Of St. John’s, NL, After The Snowstorm Yesterday

    A Picture Of St. John’s, NL, After The Snowstorm Yesterday

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    #48

    There's Still A Little Bit Of Snow Piled Up At The Parents' Place In California (Near Tahoe)

    There's Still A Little Bit Of Snow Piled Up At The Parents' Place In California (Near Tahoe)

    Lanefab Report

    #49

    -15°F Adventure (Eagle River, Alaska)

    -15°F Adventure (Eagle River, Alaska)

    Wandering_Alaska Report

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    #50

    My Thermometer Has Bottomed Out. Actual Temperature Is -44°C

    My Thermometer Has Bottomed Out. Actual Temperature Is -44°C

    iamfromcanadaeh Report

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    #51

    My Mom In Orchard Park, NY, Has Gotten Just A Little Bit Of Snow This Weekend

    My Mom In Orchard Park, NY, Has Gotten Just A Little Bit Of Snow This Weekend

    WendyEWallace1 Report

    #52

    Up Close Of A Shrub After An Ice Storm

    Up Close Of A Shrub After An Ice Storm

    xLordValx Report

    #53

    Ice Knight Hanging From My Gutter

    Ice Knight Hanging From My Gutter

    BiscuitCominInHot Report

    #54

    Rain And Ice Formed What Resembles A Fur Tree On The Side Of A Condo's Roof

    Rain And Ice Formed What Resembles A Fur Tree On The Side Of A Condo's Roof

    OldWrangler9033 Report

    #55

    Blizzard Blew Open The Pedestrian Door On My Garage

    Blizzard Blew Open The Pedestrian Door On My Garage

    PCDevine Report

    #56

    Right Down The Road From The Stadium & Still Projected 36 More Inches In The Next 24 Hours

    Right Down The Road From The Stadium & Still Projected 36 More Inches In The Next 24 Hours

    salerno101 Report

    #57

    Newfoundland Snowbomb, 2020. (I Feared That If The Snow Completely Blocked The Outside World, My Children May Resort To Cannibalism When The Storm Chips Run Out)

    Newfoundland Snowbomb, 2020. (I Feared That If The Snow Completely Blocked The Outside World, My Children May Resort To Cannibalism When The Storm Chips Run Out)

    nftpc Report

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    #58

    This Morning On PEI

    This Morning On PEI

    adgallant Report

    #59

    We Are Still Digging Out

    We Are Still Digging Out

    StephenGorman13 Report

    #60

    Found The Cars (Buffalo Storm, 2022)

    Found The Cars (Buffalo Storm, 2022)

    celebratingcher Report

    #61

    How It Started. How It’s Going After The Snowstorm In Lake Tahoe (California)

    How It Started. How It’s Going After The Snowstorm In Lake Tahoe (California)

    EFTwithHeather Report

    #62

    Beers Freeze In -10-Degree Weather At The Chiefs Game

    Beers Freeze In -10-Degree Weather At The Chiefs Game

    nflmemes_tiktok Report

    #63

    Truck Got Stuck - Sylvan Lake

    Truck Got Stuck - Sylvan Lake

    laurasturty Report

    #64

    My Hair Even Froze

    My Hair Even Froze

    BlueOrion77 Report

    #65

    Hockey Tournament In Central Alberta. This Is The Door Of The Arena

    Hockey Tournament In Central Alberta. This Is The Door Of The Arena

    canadian_idiot85 Report

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    #66

    You Wouldn't Believe It, But This Is The Amount Of Snow We Had Here In Norway In 2 Days. Right Outside My Door

    You Wouldn't Believe It, But This Is The Amount Of Snow We Had Here In Norway In 2 Days. Right Outside My Door

    mibnzayf Report

    #67

    This Bug Stopped Part Of My Window From Freezing

    This Bug Stopped Part Of My Window From Freezing

    ChiralWolf Report

    #68

    Look At All That Snow Near Donner Summit On I-80. Winter Storm Warning Tonight For 2-3 More Feet. Amazing Season In Sierra

    Look At All That Snow Near Donner Summit On I-80. Winter Storm Warning Tonight For 2-3 More Feet. Amazing Season In Sierra

    NickMerianos Report

    #69

    This Winter The Snow Is Piled Taller Than The House In Canada

    This Winter The Snow Is Piled Taller Than The House In Canada

    Coderedcody Report

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    #70

    When Chicago Streets Flood And Then Freeze, Your Car Gets Frozen Into The Ground, And You Need A Tow Truck To Yank Her Out. Good Times

    When Chicago Streets Flood And Then Freeze, Your Car Gets Frozen Into The Ground, And You Need A Tow Truck To Yank Her Out. Good Times

    HaleyDara Report

    #71

    Snow Through Recep Box

    Snow Through Recep Box

    ApprehensiveVast6211 Report

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    #72

    This Rock Has A Frozen Tidemark

    This Rock Has A Frozen Tidemark

    WillyHeeler Report

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    #73

    How Do I Start Clearing My Balcony Without Getting Snow All Over The Carpet

    How Do I Start Clearing My Balcony Without Getting Snow All Over The Carpet

    KyleK86 Report

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    #74

    A Picture From Cheektowaga That Describes This Storm Perfectly

    A Picture From Cheektowaga That Describes This Storm Perfectly

    Any-Aardvark-7678 Report

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    #75

    Incredible

    Incredible

    cartermurphy218 Report

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    #76

    The Way The Snow Accumulated On Our Steps

    The Way The Snow Accumulated On Our Steps

    red_dawn_wj Report

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    #77

    First Winter In Canada. Had A Good 20 Min Walk In -30. Stay Safe Guys

    First Winter In Canada. Had A Good 20 Min Walk In -30. Stay Safe Guys

    awesomask Report

    #78

    The Way My Car Froze Today

    The Way My Car Froze Today

    usernamelrdytaken Report

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    #79

    It's -36 Celsius In Finland Today

    It's -36 Celsius In Finland Today

    celestialraisin Report

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    #80

    Flooded Campsite Frozen Solid

    Flooded Campsite Frozen Solid

    Mygeen Report

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    #81

    I'm 6 Feet Tall For Reference

    I'm 6 Feet Tall For Reference

    snow_d0c Report

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    #82

    All The Bubbly Branded Seltzer Water Exploded In The Freezing Temperatures, But None Of The La Croix Did

    All The Bubbly Branded Seltzer Water Exploded In The Freezing Temperatures, But None Of The La Croix Did

    QuackTheMan6696 Report

    #83

    Record Snow Depth At Mammoth Last Year

    Record Snow Depth At Mammoth Last Year

    effatma Report

    #84

    That’s Some Heavy Snow

    That’s Some Heavy Snow

    cspencer1508 Report

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    #85

    Doritos Truck Getting Robbed In Buffalo After Getting Stuck And Then Abandoned In The Snow

    Doritos Truck Getting Robbed In Buffalo After Getting Stuck And Then Abandoned In The Snow

    CourtsideRecovery Report

    #86

    The Amount Of Snow That Fell In Norway

    The Amount Of Snow That Fell In Norway

    abraabraka Report

    #87

    This Is The South Of Norway. We Had All The Snow Of The Whole Of Norway In The Space Of 4 Days! It’s Pretty Mental

    This Is The South Of Norway. We Had All The Snow Of The Whole Of Norway In The Space Of 4 Days! It’s Pretty Mental

    rebekka_lundstrom_music Report

    #88

    When Water Pipes Burst In The Top Floor Apartment During Winter

    When Water Pipes Burst In The Top Floor Apartment During Winter

    arto71 Report

    #89

    The Current State Of My Bedroom Window. Why, Canada? Why?

    The Current State Of My Bedroom Window. Why, Canada? Why?

    crash---- Report

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    #90

    West Shore

    West Shore

    ShwayJay Report

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    #91

    This Pile Of Snow Has Officially Reached The Roof Of My Carport (Norway)

    This Pile Of Snow Has Officially Reached The Roof Of My Carport (Norway)

    GuidanceOne8776 Report

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    #92

    I'll See Your Snow Car And Raise You One Snow Submarine. My Car After The Storm A Few Weeks Ago

    I'll See Your Snow Car And Raise You One Snow Submarine. My Car After The Storm A Few Weeks Ago

    allhailthenarwhal Report

    #93

    I Took A Picture Of Myself At -38°C (-36.4°F)

    I Took A Picture Of Myself At -38°C (-36.4°F)

    RedFoxPro Report

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    #94

    Not Getting Out In A Hurry

    Not Getting Out In A Hurry

    The_Ignorant_Sapien Report

    #95

    Stuck In Snow

    Stuck In Snow

    So, I'm currently stuck in the snow at the side of the road at the intersection between routes 1 and 201, 1.6km after Fosshotel Núpar. I have been stuck here for the past 2 hours, with road assistance telling us to wait as they have 4 other cars along the same route to rescue. They only have one guy who's doing all the rescuing. 112 isn't going to help unless our car rental company doesn't help us. Is this normal in Iceland? There were tons of concerned tourists helping us out, but they just lacked the capability to do so. Is there stuff I could buy to help get out of such a situation? In Japan, people carry around a bag of gravel to pour behind tires to get cars unstuck. What's the Icelandic solution?

    FateAudax Report

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    #96

    The Amount Of Weight On Roofs

    The Amount Of Weight On Roofs

    weather_buffalo Report

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    #97

    My Tires After A Bout Of Freezing Rain

    My Tires After A Bout Of Freezing Rain

    emadbaig91 Report

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    #98

    Snow Accumulation In South Lake Tahoe Last Winter

    Snow Accumulation In South Lake Tahoe Last Winter

    Clizzy420 Report

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