WINTER GLOSSARY.

A severe winter storm with sustained winds (or frequent gusts) of at least 40 km/h, blowing snow that cuts visibility to under 1 km, lasting 4+ hours. Environment Canada issues blizzard warnings when these conditions are expected.

Why it matters for your driveway: After a blizzard, expect deep drifts rather than even snowfall — clearing takes longer and routes run behind. Our 12-hour window still applies, but patience on blizzard days goes a long way.

Wind-blown snow that piles up against buildings, fences, and vehicles — even hours after the snow has stopped falling. A driveway can drift shut on a clear, sunny, windy day.

Why it matters for your driveway: Drifting is why a "cleared" driveway can look untouched by morning. It is also why our trigger is based on measured snowfall, not how deep any one drift looks.

When moisture in the soil freezes and expands, it pushes pavement, pavers, and fence posts upward — then lets them drop unevenly when it thaws. Winnipeg's clay soil and freeze-thaw cycles make this a local specialty.

Why it matters for your driveway: Heaved sections create lips and trip edges that catch shovel and blower blades. Mark any uneven spots for us in fall so we can clear around them carefully.

Soft, crumbly pellets of snow — like tiny styrofoam balls — formed when supercooled water droplets freeze onto falling snowflakes. It bounces when it hits the ground, unlike hail, and is common in spring and fall transition storms.

Blizzard conditions with no new snow falling: strong winds pick up loose snow already on the ground and reduce visibility to near zero. Common on the open Prairies after a fresh snowfall.

Why it matters for your driveway: Ground blizzards re-drift cleared driveways fast. If one hits after your visit, let us know — we will work out the next pass with you.

Snow compressed by foot traffic, tires, or wind into a dense, icy layer that bonds to the pavement. Once it forms, a shovel just skates across the top.

Why it matters for your driveway: Hardpack is the main reason to clear early and often rather than letting snow sit. Our lower-trigger plans (4 cm, 2 cm) exist largely to beat hardpack before it sets.

Feathery ice crystals that grow on cold surfaces — branches, fences, railings — when moist air meets sub-freezing objects. Beautiful, harmless in small amounts, and a sign of very cold, still air.

A ridge of ice at the roof's edge that traps meltwater behind it, forcing water under shingles and into the house. Caused by heat escaping into the attic and melting roof snow unevenly — one of Winnipeg's most expensive winter roofing problems.

Why it matters for your driveway: Falling icicles and ice chunks from dams land on walkways. If you see big icicles forming, tell us — we will keep the landing zone clear while you deal with the roof.

Meltwater or slush that re-freezes into a slick sheet of ice as temperatures drop — typically overnight or when a sunny afternoon gives way to a cold evening. The number-one cause of surprise icy driveways.

Why it matters for your driveway: Refreeze is exactly why sanding exists: clearing removes snow, but only traction material handles the ice that forms afterward. Ask about our $15 sanding add-on (included with Premium).

A rough, white coating of ice formed when supercooled fog droplets freeze on contact with cold surfaces. Common on trees, power lines, and antennas during freezing-fog mornings.

Wind-carved ridges and grooves in the snow surface — from the Russian word for the same. They make shovelling miserable and tell you which way the prevailing wind blows across your yard.

Partially melted snow — heavy, wet, and far harder to move than the same depth of powder. A few centimetres of slush can weigh as much as 15 cm of fresh snow.

Why it matters for your driveway: Slush is brutally heavy to shovel and refreezes into treacherous ice overnight. One of the best arguments for letting someone else handle it.

The weight of accumulated snow on a structure. Fresh powder is light, but wet spring snow can be extremely heavy — enough to stress flat roofs, sheds, and carports.

A rare natural phenomenon where wind rolls chunks of snow into hollow cylinders, like nature's own snowballs. Needs a specific mix of light snow, strong wind, and a slope — fun to spot on open fields outside the city.

A brief, intense burst of snow with gusty winds that drops visibility fast. Squalls arrive and end suddenly, sometimes in under an hour.

Why it matters for your driveway: A squall can dump several centimetres between our scheduled route passes. If one hits hard after your visit, message us and we will sort out the next pass.

Thunder and lightning during a snowstorm — rare, because it needs strong upward air motion inside a winter storm. When you hear it, very heavy snow is falling nearby, often 5+ cm per hour.

The snowfall amount that sends the crew out: 6 cm (Essential), 4 cm (Complete), or 2 cm (Premium). Measured after the snowfall event ends, it is the single number that decides whether you get a visit.

Why it matters for your driveway: Lower trigger means more visits and a cleaner surface through light snowfalls. Our pricing page has a quiz that recommends a plan in three questions.

Zero-visibility conditions where blowing snow erases the horizon — sky and ground become one white blur. The most dangerous winter driving condition on the Prairies.

How cold it feels when wind strips heat from exposed skin. At -30°C with a 30 km/h wind, exposed skin can freeze in under 10 minutes. Winnipeg regularly posts wind chills below -40 in January and February.

Why it matters for your driveway: This is the human argument for a clearing service: nobody should be shovelling for an hour in -40 wind chill. Stay inside; we will handle it.

The ridge of hard, packed snow the city plow leaves across the end of your driveway. It is the heaviest, iciest snow you will deal with all winter — and it shows up after you have already cleared the rest.

Why it matters for your driveway: Most budget services skip it. We include windrow clearing with Complete and Premium plans, and offer it as a $25/visit add-on for Essential.