Like everything else in this 3D realm of matter, nothing lasts for ever; temperatures have finally reached +1.3°C today, which for a change felt much nicer - despite the overcast gray sky. There has been some sunlight during the past week - which started an ever so light, slow motion process of thawing the soul.

Well, at least it is a beginning. Plus the light in the afternoon - ah - so wonderful, when it is still light out there. The first visible change, hinting on springtime. Even if the full spring is still 1-2 months away.

Tired of Cold Winter

To be honest I am pretty tired of winter, snow and -15°C - plus the ice on the streets when you go to works, or coming home from work. The street cleaning has been a disaster. They even stopped pouring our gravel for a long time (maybe because it LOOKS as if the streets are graveled and dark). But in reality, the gravel is worn out from thousands of people walking on it - so the gravel is in the ice, not on it. It is in fact super slippery, at almost every street here in the suburbs. Because they stopped pouring out more gravel.

In the city itself, the asphalt is dry, and there is no snow left on the walkways.

Partially because of cleaning, but also from the hundred thousands of people walking there day after day. Until the snow or ice patches are gone.

Sunshine hours are up

As of lately we have had "a lot" more sunshine, which drove up the average sunshine hours this far in February 2026. It looks like this, making it clear how the sun came forth a lot more often lately:

Hesistant Winter-Spring 2024

When compared to the rather sluggish spring 2024, where the sun hesitated quite a long time (actually all the way into April 2024). Looked like that:

Cold 1-21 February 2026

The deviations of normal average temperatures in Sweden during February 2026 so far, have been everywhere on the negative side; being a lot colder than normal. In Stockholm 5°C below average.

So, there is that.