Think you’ve had a bad winter? So did we… That is until we saw these photos of winters around the globe. From mother nature’s chilly art to icy phenomenons, we guarantee just glancing at these photos will give you the chills. So grab a heavy blanket, fix yourself a hot chocolate, and keep scrolling to see what real cold looks like.
Avalanche Alert
In particularly cold northern climates, ‘but it’s snowing…’ is rarely accepted as a valid excuse to miss work or school. But even places like Newfoundland have exceptionally snowy days that keep residents from getting out the door, literally. Let’s just hope these poor snowed-in folks are well stocked with plenty of food and necessities. Who knows just how densely packed this avalanche is; it might take quite a bit of digging before they can see the outside world again.
On the bright side, packed snow can be quite insulating (hello, igloos), so technically, the people who live here don’t even have to shut the door to keep cold air out. But good luck hearing a visitor knock.
Cold But Curvy
Children, please cover your eyes and continue to scroll down. While some accidental ice sculptures might take on a humorous shape or geometrically beautiful design, this is one of the few that qualifies as NSFW. It looks like what you would find at the entrance to Hugh Hefner’s Aspen getaway. That, or it could be part of the opening title sequence for a James Bond movie set in the Arctic.
While some of you might pay special attention to this ice woman’s shapely body, others might be alarmed by the dangerous situation she’s found herself in. The poor thing’s holding on for dear life!
Is This How Firefighters Keep Cool?
Firefighters know that their brave line of work comes with some serious risks. They might faint due to heat exhaustion; they can suffer from third-degree burns; sustain lung damage from smoke inhalation, or become injured from falling structures. But the chances of dying from hypothermia are probably quite low on the long list of a firefighter’s job hazards, or so this firefighter thought before the day this photo was taken.
Fortunately, there’s an easy fix for his frozen uniform: Just run back into the burning building, wait around for a few seconds, and voila! That layer of ice will melt right off!
Lunch With a Ghost
This classic trick is well known to families in cold northern climates worldwide and is a great way to entertain kids before a spaghetti dinner. After boiling the noodles and bringing the plate outside, the remaining water freezes, forming a noodle tower capable of keeping the fork suspended in mid-air. It’s also a great chance to teach children about the basic states of matter, in this case, how changes in heat allow liquids to convert into solids and back again.
While this meal may have made for a great photo, it doesn’t look particularly tasty. Plain pasta without sauce? Now, where’s the fun in that?
A Fearless Feline
The scientific consensus is that modern house cats evolved from the African wildcat. But zoologists should take a look at this pictured puffball to determine if it has some Siberian tiger genes somewhere in its ancestry. The cold temperatures don’t seem to bother it one bit, and it’s also unconcerned by the icicles, which appear to reach out to pet the adorable fluff muffin. But, alas, the kitty doesn’t care.
Strangely curved icicle sheets and the professional cat model aside, it’s the picturesque red barn that really completes the shot. Surely it gets quite drafty in there.
They Accidentally Built an Indoor Ice Skating Rink
Flooded basements are certainly no picnic at any time of year, but flooding in winter can have particularly problematic results. Perhaps even more frightening than the mess this will cause once it melts is the water bill the homeowners will have to pay. But maybe they can recoup the cost by advertising their basement as a temporary ice rink. That, or they can just convert the basement into a swimming pool once summer arrives.
Remember, on those extra cold days, make sure at least one of your sinks is kept on a slow drip so that water continually moves through the pipes. Otherwise, the water might freeze, burst, and potentially cause a catastrophe like this one.