A 'stupid' blast of winter for Windsor, Ont., in spring in 1982
Two weeks into spring, border city saw 20.4 cm of snow pile up
"Stupid" was one word for it, and it's the word the man holding a snow shovel used to describe the wintry blast that hit Windsor, Ont., in 1982.
"Boy, this is weird, just stupid," said Johnny Richards, a local resident who a CBC reporter spotted using a snow shovel on April 6, 1982, more than two weeks into spring.
"Wonder when we're going to get some good spring weather? My poor tulips in the backyard."
The wintery weather made The National's broadcast that night, in part because a large part of the northeastern United States had been hit with similar conditions.
Reporter Kim Kristy gave viewers an overview of the storm that had dumped 20.4 centimetres of snow on the border city and surrounding Essex County.
"It must be winter's last laugh, because no one else is smiling. This is not the springtime Windsor is accustomed to," said Kristy, as viewers saw the usual weather-story mix of images including a rear-wheel drive vehicle spinning its wheels and a stalled van getting a push.
The return of winter also seemed to confuse drivers for some reason.
"After a number of days of summer-like weather already, many motorists have apparently forgotten how to drive on slippery roads," Kristy said, noting a number of vehicles had ended up stuck in the snow or involved in minor collisions following the storm's arrival.
