Modern Abbotsford has never seen a February quite like that which finally ended Tuesday.
With a massive dump of snow in the month's first week and more white stuff over the last seven days, the city broke a 68-year-old record with 80.9 centimetres measured at Abbotsford International Airport (YXX) through Tuesday morning.
"We've already had three times the normal amount of snow this winter," Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald said Monday, as yet another snowstorm was beginning.
The previous snowiest February on record had seen 69.1 millimetres fall in 1949. (Records date back to 1944.) The average February snowfall of 8.6 centimetres was eclipsed several days throughout the month, including Monday, when nine centimetres was recorded.
This winter has also been the snowiest in 35 years, and seventh-whitest ever recorded here, with 131 centimetres falling in December, January and February.
The snowiest winter occurred in 1964, when 170.4 centimetres was recorded.
Despite all the practice, drivers don't seem to have become any better at navigating the snow, Abbotsford Police Const. Ian MacDonald said. While some have been good at staying home, he said, others are "hit and miss."
The good news is that winter is finally on its way out. Although there's a faint chance of snow this coming weekend, Matt MacDonald said "that's the last chance of winter-like weather."
Spring, he said, is finally on its way.