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Everyone is talking about the weather

The weather is always a favourite topic. The recent snow is a reminder that the weather can be fickle.

Donalda Diary

The weather is always a favourite topic. The recent snow is a reminder that the weather can be fickle. We went, at least temporarily, from summer to winter overnight.

According to our history book, Donalda’s Roots and Branches (1980), the “Hardest Winter” in this area was that of 1906-07 when snow arrived on November 2 and stayed on the ground until June. The winter of 1930-31 was the “Open Winter” when there was little snow.

The winter of 1962-63 has had the most variable weather, at least up to 1980. A difference of 60 degrees Fahrenheit over twenty-four hours was not uncommon. In February there was a chinook one day and a blizzard the next followed by a mild day and so on.

The coldest blizzard occurred in December 1964 when the wind chill dropped to an unbelievable minus 120 degrees F. The Cora Lynn School burned down in Red Willow, probably the result of an overheated coal stove.

On May 17, 1965 a freak snow storm hit the area. March 1974 had very deep snow and blizzards. The winter of 1978-79 was very mild with little snow until the middle of February. So one can see that the weather is variable and unpredictable! An early snowfall is not out of the ordinary. But let us hope for the sake of the farmers that it warms up again soon.

On another topic, the Village of Donalda was recently hooked up to a new water supply – the Shirley McClellan Regional Water System -- and has also been rehabilitating sanitary sewer lines, fire hydrants and making other capital improvements.

It was 60 years ago this month that the village council planned to install water and a sewage system. The council for some time had been considering the installation of water and sewerage systems in the village. It was reported in September 1954, “During the past months they have put down a number of wells to find a supply of water. They believe that they now have two wells which will, when combined, give an adequate supply of water.” How times have changed.

Happy Birthdays this week to Jace Salmon, James Hutchison, Jill Henderson, Mike Broemeling, Sheila Norman, Steven Baker, April Hurren, Mel Andres, Isabella Schoettler, Jessica Block, Kolton McKay, Jordyn Erickson, Brenda Dietrich, Emily Sideritsch, Joshua Foot, Linda Oretsky-Kneeland, Nathanael Kneeland, Bentley Charles, and Christine Walker.