snow storm death

by garrett richardson
(yacolt, washington)

We miss our friends, memories, and storms - Some stories hit you right in the heart because they remind you how quickly life can change. We feel the ache of memory when the weather turns wild and we lose the animals we trusted. You'll be pulled into that shared human space where science meets emotion and every loss reminds you how much we care.

Garrett tells us: One day, on a stormy snow storm, me and my family were sitting on our couch. Then all of a sudden, we heard a bog crash. We looked outside and saw that the cover area for our horse collapsed, killing our horse along with it. We were all very sad.

Barry's Response Sorry about your horse and property, Garrett. Roof collapse under the weight of snow loads is quite common. It happens every year.

It happens with public infrastructure. Here are a few random incidents:

• In January 2006, an ice rink roof gave away under the weight of a heavy snow in Bavaria, Germany, followed by a similar incident a few weeks later in Poland. 15 people died in the first, 65 in the second.
• The Minneapolis Metrodome roof failed under 17 inches of snow in Dec 2010. No one was injured
• A snow storm in January 1922, caused the Knickerbocker Theater in Washington DC. to give out during a movie, killing 98
• Gotta have a Canadian example - Kangiqsualujjuaq, Quebec had its school gym wiped out by an avalanche during a New Year's party to bring in 1999, leaving nine dead

Just a few things to think about. Sometimes the timing is just unfortunate.

Search this site for more information now.

It's never fair to die in a snow storm

Snow looks soft, gentle, and innocent, but one day it turns into a wrecking ball. Again, I'm sorry about your horse. Losing an animal hits the same part of your heart as losing a friend. It leaves an empty space only memories can fill.

Here's what happened in the weather. It's not dangerous because it's cold. Because it changes, it's dangerous. It's almost weightless when it's fresh. Wind piles it unevenly, dropping heavy slabs on one side. When the temperature swings near freezing, the crystals melt a little, refreeze, and lock together. Wet snow can weigh as much as a small motorcycle. It's why barns, arenas, and even modern stadiums give way. It's not failure, it's physics.

This is called metamorphism: the rapid reshaping of snow grains under changing pressure, humidity, and temperature. The cold Arctic air slams into warm oceanic moisture in Canada, the US Northeast, Siberia, and Japan. Buildings lose when those air masses argue.

Snow is studied by air-quality scientists too

Pollutants are stored in snow. The dirtier the air, the denser the snow crust gets as it melts and refreezes. There's even a theory that tracing pollutants in snow layers can predict structural risks. That's a great idea. Snow can tell us a lot about storms.

Some people say extreme storms are new and caused by climate change. Storm historians will tell you the record is a mess. It spiked in the 1800s, the 1940s, the 1970s, and today. Nature has more moods than humans - solar cycles, ocean cycles, volcanic aerosols. It's good to study them all. Science is about freedom of thought. The snowpack hides discoveries if we only listen to the loudest voices.

But here's the thing: every worldview has something to say about caring for the land, whether you're conservative, liberal, Christian, atheist, or undecided. Stewardship, responsibility, community - they're for everyone. It's not political. We're reminded of that by snow. Before it collapses a roof, it doesn't check your voting record.

Outdoor workers know this better than anyone. Look at the sky for clues: the wind direction, the crispness of the cold, the bite of humidity, the color of the clouds at dusk. We've survived winter for thousands of years because we learned to read the atmosphere. It's easy to learn again.

Look closely next time it snows

There's a story in every flakes. From calm clouds, some fall fluffy. It's like teenagers arguing in a parking lot when air parcels crash together. Under the whip of the jet stream, some drift sideways. There's a signature load on roofs, trees, powerlines, and barns.

Mix old wisdom with new science to prevent the next snow storm death. Make your roof stronger. Clear the downwind side of the drifts. Keep an eye on the temperature. Teach kids about weather like we teach math. Build phone apps that use live radar, humidity profiles, and satellite snow-water-equivalent maps to predict when a structure is at risk. Let's innovate, not just react.

There's power in your story

Weather isn't the bad guy. You can't ignore it. It can be respected without being feared, and studied without being turned into a political symbol.

Share your storm stories, lost animals, or nature's flexing her muscles below. Your words might bring comfort, courage, or a new idea to someone else.