Boston's last pile of snow finally melts — halfway through July

One of the most miserable winters on record has finally ended in Boston — just four months after it officially ended on the calendar.

The city's mayor, Martin Walsh, declared Tuesday the last remaining snow pile in Boston's Seaport District dead on Twitter.

"I'm pleased to announce the #BOSMeltNow challenge has come to a close, as the pile officially melted today, July 14." he wrote, referring to a social media game that had Bostonians guessing which day the last bit of snow would disappear from their city.

The pile in question, which stood approximately 75 feet tall earlier this year, was one of many "snow farms" built in unused parking lots around Boston after the city was pummeled with record-breaking amounts of snow throughout January and February.

As much as it may sound like a fun makeshift tobogganing hill, this enormous pile of snow, garbage and debris was an eyesore.

According to Boston's commissioner of public works, Michael Dennehy, the piles were expected to melt a lot sooner but couldn't, even despite an unseasonably warm spring.

"We haven't gotten the rain - the spring rain we thought we were going to get," he told NPR last week. "And if you look at the pile, it's completely encapsulated in dirt and debris. I don't think the sun has a chance to get at it. It appears as if it's melting from the bottom up at times."

After news broke that the filthy bastion of garbage snow on Tide Street had melted away at last, locals took to Twitter with their feelings.

Many, like Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, were pleased to hear that the last trace of winter had left Boston. 

Others were more disturbed that the pile had taken so long to melt. Some even lamented the loss of a "perversely odd sightseeing spot" they'd grown accustomed to.

As Discovery reports, curious passers-by had taken to using the wild pile as a backdrop for their photos. One man even filmed himself skiing down its side amidst rusty lawn chairs and broken bottles in April.

There's hope, however, for those who truly miss seeing slushy piles of post-winter crud in the middle of July.

After Walsh's announcement that Boston was rid of snow, a few residents shared photos online that appeared to negate his assertion.

In Canada, where cold whether can't faze even the most summer-loving citizens, new snow photos are still popping up on Twitter and Instagram — though none of them show anything quite so dramatic as Boston's pile.

Are there still any remaining traces of winter weather in your region? Share your photos with us on Facebook, via Twitter or by emailing us at community@cbc.ca.