Canadians who long for consistency in the spring may soon get it.
However, there is no warm weather, which many may crave at this time of year, says the chief meteorologist of Global News.
“I anticipate a lot of cool air in the future, which will last even in May,” said Anthony Farnell.
Read more: Rural areas of Manitoba blown up by spring snow
“The fact that there is so much snow on the prairies tends to cool the air above it and can prolong winter conditions even here, in the Great Lakes, even in areas where there is no snow on the ground.
There is still almost 30 centimeters of snow on the ground in southern Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, which will help cool the air from above for at least the next few weeks. The forecast for most major Canadian cities, except Vancouver and Halifax, has more snow in the second half of April, Farnell said. Global news graphics
It has felt cold in parts of Canada since the vernal equinox on March 20, Farnell said. Although he cites the retained cold air as the reason for this, part of it is also due to the strong winds that have been blowing across the country recently.
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On Good Friday, strong winds blew in Quebec and Ontario, causing more than 215,000 Canadians to lose electricity. The wind is up to 70 km / h in some settlements.
On Saturday in British Columbia, an ice-cold air mass hovering over the province broke records for minimum temperatures, some of which are more than 100 years old. The Princeton record of 1895 was taken down when the mercury fell to -8.4 C on April 16. The old record was -6.7 C for that day.
The cars were parked on Fort Street in downtown Winnipeg during a spring snowstorm on April 13. Mike Sudoma / The Canadian Press
Just before the weekend, all eyes were on Manitoba as a big storm threw 29 inches of snow into Winnipeg, paralyzing roads, blocking small cars, closing schools and keeping most residents inside.
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Read more: Spring storm that rains heavy snow on Manitoba moves to Ontario
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Sharing the cold weather, Ottawa could drop two to four inches of snow on Monday night and up to five inches of snow on Tuesday, according to Environment Canada. Toronto is also expected to be hit by severe winter weather on Monday, about two to four inches near Lake Ontario.
“So far this spring in Ontario we’ve seen slightly lower temperatures, and especially early in the spring the weather can be quite changeable,” said Sherry Williams, a Toronto-based meteorologist at Environment Canada.
“We had some really nice days, but we also had snow, and it’s just the cold air that pushes you south when it’s snowing.”
The snow that has accumulated on the edges of the Rideau Canal is melting as a cyclist makes his way down a bike path on April 12. Adrian Wilde / The Canadian Press
What is causing this late cold in Canada is returning to the polar vortex from the North Pole, Farnell said.
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“It can move and reappear where it doesn’t normally reappear,” he said.
Read more: Southeast Saskatchewan is still emerging from the April blizzard
“What we had was a break in this polar whirlwind in March, and it tends to send chunks of cold into different parts of the northern hemisphere, and one of those chunks is on the prairies here in Ontario… Don’t be surprised if this year we get this late threat of frost and freezing again and this will obviously affect the farmers.
Robert Homola surfed on a cool, windy spring day on Lake Ontario at Jack Darling Park in Mississauga, Ont., On March 23. Nathan Dennett / The Canadian Press
In mid-May, however, Canadians can expect a change in the forecast, to much warmer conditions, added Farnell. Although it is too early for forecasts, weather modeling is currently showing another hot summer, which begins on June 21, in the forecast for Canada, he said.
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Read more: Ontario Spring Forecast: Above Normal Rainfall with Possible Large Temperature Fluctuations
“In the middle of May we really start to turn around and suddenly we turn into that summer. This was a much more common phenomenon. “I don’t know if it’s climate change or just the cycle we’re in, but in the last decade we’ve had more cold April than usual, and then it just gets hot in late May and June and in the summer here,” he said.
“For those hoping for humidity, watch what you want (because) I think it will come again this year.”
– with files from Irlene Lavery of Global News, Katie Michaels, Skyler Peters and Ryan Roca
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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