Should you’re feeling like this winter has been snowier than standard, you’re possible not alone.
Nonetheless, the reality is that this winter has not been significantly snowy, as a lot of southern Ontario has seen below-average quantities of snowfall to this point this season.
Precipitation ranges for the 70-day interval
This map exhibits the precipitation ranges for the 70-day interval of Dec. 2, 2024 to Feb. 9, 2025 in comparison with seasonal norms. Areas marked in white are seeing common snowfall quantities, areas in blue are seeing above-average quantities and areas marked in yellow, orange and crimson are seeing below-average quantities.
By ECCC graphic
Should you take a look at the graphic above, you’ll be able to see the areas marked in yellow, orange and crimson as having below-average precipitation quantities for the 70-day interval of Dec. 2 to Feb. 9. Areas in blue have seen above-average quantities. The one areas in southern Ontario within the blue embody the Bruce Peninsula and round Georgian Bay, besides they’re solely barely above seasonal norms.
So, what offers; why does it really feel like there’s extra snow than standard in Ontario (besides in Toronto, the place there’s by no means sufficient snow)?
Setting and Local weather Change Canada meteorologist Geoff Coulson provides an evidence, saying two elements could also be affecting our notion.
The primary affect is our current reminiscence, and that reminiscence is referencing final winter, which was pushed by robust El Niño climate patterns and was gentle from begin to end.
“This winter has been a more traditional winter,” Coulson mentioned. “Historically speaking, it’s more like an average winter, but recent times have not necessarily given us a lot of experience with that.”
Secondly, the snow that has fallen isn’t going away, and that’s due to the constantly below-freezing temperature — we’ve simply not had many thaw durations.
“Overall, it’s been seasonal temperatures to a little colder than seasonal so the areas that got a fair bit of lake-effect snow off of Lake Huron, Georgian Bay and Lake Superior, there hasn’t been much opportunity to knock the snowpack down, so they’re just adding to it without really being able to reduce it,” Coulson mentioned.
Temperature in comparison with seasonal norms
This map exhibits the temperatures for the 70-day interval of Dec. 2, 2024 to Feb. 9, 2025 in comparison with seasonal norms. Areas in white are experiencing regular temperatures for this time of 12 months, whereas blue is colder and yellow, orange and crimson is hotter.
By ECCC graphic
He supplied one other graphic, this one displaying temperatures have been comparatively seasonal in south Ontario for the interval of Dec. 2 to Feb. 9, besides in excessive southwestern Ontario, which got here in barely colder than regular.
However with out many occasional warmup durations, this winter may really feel colder than standard, Coulson mentioned.
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Dominik Kurek is a web based editor with Metroland.
