Ottawa, ON, Canada

Much like January Weather, the winds are biting, the snow is falling, and the wind chill factor can make everything seem much colder than actuality…

Although, in recent years, some unseasonal warmer spells (not much warmer, but warm for Feb in Canada!) has led to the famous Winterlude Festival being a bit of a wash-out!!

At the annual fest, the canal is normally opened to legions of ice skaters - but only if the ice is thick enough. If the weather is too warm, then the whole thing can be rather wet and slushy, and ultimately unsafe…

In the evening, they hose the ice on the canal with water to make it stronger and thicker. So, thankfully, the canal is usually open and icy.

But I have seen many of the ice sculptures, that are carved in the park, dripping in the bright sunshine - at least a few times!