**** Info via Environment Canada
Spring temperature outlook
It’s official – meteorological spring has sprung as of March 1st! And don’t forget, we’ve got another spring start date to look forward to on March 20th – the astronomical spring or the spring equinox.
You might be wondering, why two start dates for one season? Well, meteorologists like to use their own fixed calendar to track temperatures and weather patterns, while astronomers prefer to gaze up at the sky and see where the Sun is in relation to our planet.
But enough of the boring stuff, and let’s talk about what you really came here for – our spring seasonal outlook! Here is our temperature outlook for this upcoming spring season:
Over the next three months, similar patterns to this past winter are expected to continue. Cold air will remain in British Columbia and the Yukon, leading to below-average temperatures. Uncertainty remains high in the Prairies, as no clear signal has been detected in regards to upcoming temperatures. On the other hand, warmer-than-average temperatures are expected to persist in most of eastern Canada, including large parts of Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.
At the start of March, below-normal temperatures are expected across most of the country. The cold air is expected to start over the western parts of the country and shift eastward by mid-month.
Recap on this winter
Winter this year has been a bit of a wild ride across the country, with record-breaking warmth and cold at times. Overall, western Canada experienced episodes of above-average temperatures in January but more winter-like conditions in December and February with extremely cold temperature. The absence of low temperatures is very noticeable in many parts of eastern Canada. All three winter months were above average with the exception of some very short-lived cold events during the month of February. Parts of northern Canada also experienced above-normal temperatures this winter, while Baffin Island experienced the opposite.
Observed temperature anomaly (difference from normal) for the months of December 2022, January and February 2023.
