VS> From what I understand, the so-called  Polar Vortex will be rearing its ugly
  >head again this winter, meaning another few months of consistent -40c temps.
  >Apart from stubbornness, sometimes I wonder why I stay here ;)

Your part of the country does have a reputation for cold winters. It's been
quite a bit milder the past decade here than it was in the past. I can
remember winters 20 years ago when for a solid week it didn't get above
-30c and was dropping to -40 to -45c at night.
(For our American friends, -40c and -40f are the same temperatures and
 -30c is about -22f)

 Last winter was one of the coldest in a long time but we still never got
 much lower than -30c, and I'm about 240km (150 miles) north of Toronto
 so it's at least a few degrees colder up here than down there.

 Right now most days it's about 0c to +3c and dropping to -4c or so
 at night with a little snow thrown in now and then which usually melts
 within a couple of days.

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 * SLMR Rob  * Finish your mail packet; millions in India are offline! *
 * PDQWK 2.52 #17


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