An arctic blast brought strong winds and biting cold to Washington, and as I shuttled video equipment from Farragut Square to Dupont Circle this afternoon, I marveled at the delightful patterns of altocumulus undulatus clouds streaming across the sky above the District, rushed along by the frigid winds:

Later on, as I braved the icy cold, a tiny speck of something hit my face, leaving a spot of wetness. “Great,” went my first thought, “some tiny suicidal gnat has crashed into my face and splattered its guts on my cheek.” But then I saw the flakes, and realized it was a snow flurry, and suddenly the stress and fatigue of the week dissolved into something like peace — even after the snow stopped without leaving even a dusting.