While many capital area residents are likely feeling a sense of relief that the recent spate of warm winds and rain has washed away nearly all of the snow, things are quite different in other parts of the country right now, as the former mayor of Ísafjörður can attest.
Guðmundur Gunnarsson, who lives in the Westfjords town of Bolungarvík, woke up yesterday morning to snow piled up so high that it completely covered the front door of his home.
Var einhver að tala um harðan vetur og ófærð. Þetta er Bolungarvík í dag. Gerðist á sólarhring. pic.twitter.com/FntU8eFi3B
— Guðmundur Gunnarsson (@gummigunnars) March 23, 2022
“Did someone say something about harsh weather and impassability?,” Guðmundur writes. “This is Bolungarvík today. Happened in 24 hours.”
Guðmundur also took a time lapse video to demonstrate how he was able to get out of his home in the end. Should you end up in the same situation, all you need do is scoop out a hole in the snow near the top of the door, climb out, and then beginning shoveling away the rest from the outside.
Svona krakkar mínir, missir Bolvíkingur af strætó. Ef það væri strætó. https://t.co/odGmoy7udj pic.twitter.com/6DQ3WLtusx
— Guðmundur Gunnarsson (@gummigunnars) March 23, 2022
“This, kids, is how a Bolvíkingur misses the bus,” he quips. “If we had a bus.”
Speaking to RÚV, Guðmundur said it took him about an hour and a half in all to get out of his home, and reminded him of bygone times when having to shovel one’s way out of one’s home was a regular occurrence.
He added that the past winter in Bolungarvík has been met with regular heavy snowfall. This can be particularly hazardous in the Westfjords, characterised by numerous communities situated at the base of very steep mountains. Fortunately, in this case, the greatest hazard here is cold and a tired back.
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