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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Many people are talking about how warm this winter has been, which is why they might be surprised to learn the weather hasn't been that remarkable at all, according to a meteorologist with Environment Canada.

Adriana Zibolenova (left), and daughter, Riley Hans, 9, play in the snow during a mild winter afternoon at the Range Lake outdoor skating rink, March 11. Yesterday's high (-7 C) is five degrees warmer than the seasonal average for this time of year. - Lyndsay Herman/NNSL photo

"I don't think we broke any records this year," said Yvonne Bilan-Wallace.

"You definitely were not in the top 10."

This winter has been gentler on NWT residents this year with temperatures in December, January and February averaging 4.5 C warmer than the same 90-day average from previous years. Even with the higher temperatures, the Mackenzie District – an area encompassing most of the territory -- is only ranked 17th on Environment Canada's list of warmest winters out of 64 since the agency began keeping track in 1948. The warmest winter in the Mackenzie District history was 2006, with a temperature 6.3-degrees higher than norma1, approximately -25.6 C.

Environment Canada doesn't keep track of yearly winter averages specific to Yellowknife but does for the Mackenzie District.

Frigid weather in the NWT is reliant on a persistent and deep vortex in the Eastern Arctic that typically extends over the NWT during the months of December, January and February. This year, the vortex was not as persistent and warmer air was swept in from the Pacific coast.

"The weather is like a river that runs around the whole atmosphere," she said. "And sometimes it doesn't want to change its course.

"Every year is quite variable. Lots can be happening on the ocean and on the land that will affect the atmosphere. You can have a heavy snowfall in Siberia and that will affect the atmosphere."

In Yellowknife, there doesn't seem to be too many complaints about the lack of frigid Arctic air. Trevor Wever, general manager for Air Tindi, said colder temperatures can actually make winter flying easier.

"When it's warmer the weather can be worse since warm weather masses bring lower clouds, more snow," said Wever.

"When it's minus-30 below, it’s generally clear. But overall it really hasn't affected us,” he said.

Bobby Drygeese of B. Dene Adventures hosts outdoor tours into the wilderness surrounding Yellowknife and says the warmer weather has been nice but at times required extra planning.

"I took some people out and it was nice," he said. "But I had to watch for water because the ice in some places might be thin. We had to watch out when we were packing, too. It might be warm one day but cold the next day, so we had to prepare."

While the warmer weather is forecast to keep going up in March, although Environment Canada doesn't expect it to rise any faster than usual heading into spring.

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