Spring in Iqaluit: it’s what makes the cold, long, hard (did I mention cold?) winter worthwhile. Iqalummiut eagerly emerge from the confines of their homes, rejoicing in the fact they’ve made it through the darkest part of the year. Snowmobilers excitedly fire up their skidoos, thankful that the temperatures are mild enough to allow their engines to start.
Yes, the typical signs of spring are everywhere around us: the air is warmer, the days are longer, the outdoors are busier. But with the shifting seasons come the less glamorous aspects of life in the north, most of which is brought by another spring guarantee: the melt. To represent this conversion of snow to slush, we have put together this list of not-so-precious springtime signs that every Iqalummiut will recognize.
1. Potholes appear seemingly overnight, agitating drivers and decimating vehicles.
2. Your car’s wheel wells fill with slush during the day, which turns to ice overnight, seriously impeding your ability to steer your vehicle.
3. You want to wash your pants practically every time you walk outside.
4. You avoid parking next to any buildings for fear of falling snow.
5. You avoid walking near any overhangs for fear of death-by-icicle.
6. Snow banks along busy streets become rather unsightly.
7. All sorts of things emerge from the melting snow.
8. Your snowmobile route liquefies.
9. Clifford’s dog igloo deteriorates into a pile of slush.
10. It Just. Keeps. Snowing.
And one final sign, though not related to the melt…
11. Your next good night’s sleep is months away.
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