Let me tell you something. It all started when my family and I were sitting beside the toast warm fire at our crib in Omarama talking about how it was due to snow.
“I want to make a snowman!” Liam said
“I am staying inside drawing comics” Phoebe yelled from her bed. (Yes she was still in her bed at 10:00am.)
Then:
“Look!” Liam shouted, and we all glanced out the window wondering what Liam was pointing at. And sure enough, little snow flurries, not sleet, not hail, were falling from the sky above. We watched it fall as it grew heavier, and the air grew colder outside. Within 10 minutes of staring out the window in shock, Phoebe, Liam and I were all outside all wrapped up in our winter woolies in springtime, throwing snowballs at each other, and screaming. My siblings made a little 30cm snowman that reached my knee height. (not even that) and we all were so happy to not be cooped up inside. My Mum took so many photos,that I thought her phone would burst. The snow kept falling, my siblings and I hurried inside because our fingers were turning purple. We went in, threw our jackets on the floor and went to sit beside the fire. All was silent as we watched the snow fall in awe. It was now 11 in the morning and I was upstairs reading when Dad turned on the radio and the first thing we heard was:
“Extreme weather warning in place for South Canterbury New Zealand! I repeat Extreme weather warning in place! Heavy snow as high as 5 metres above ground! All residents are advised to stay where they are as long as this carries on for. Do not leave your home under any condition.”
I looked at Mum. Mum looked at me. Phoebe looked at the next page of her comic book. We all broke into immediate panic. We were trapped.
