Bye-bye, Old Man Winter
After weathering coldest winter in 32 years, climatologist promises Yellowknifers hot summer and mild winter for 2014-15
Laura Busch
Northern News Services
Published Friday, April 18, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The winter of 2013-14 was the coldest Yellowknifers have experienced in 32 years.
"Everybody's been complaining about this winter," said David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada. "It isn't a record cold but, boy, there are certainly some superlatives one can use while talking about it."
From December to March, Yellowknife experienced an average temperature of -25.6 C, much farther below the normal average of -21.8 C.
When factoring in all the "true Northern winter" months, from November to March, the average temperature was 3.1 degrees below normal - the coldest on record in 23 years.
Along with the cold came less precipitation than normal, with 117 cm of the white stuff hitting Yk streets beginning on Oct. 24 - 78
per cent of the normal 150 cm that falls on the city.
Phillips took the opportunity to debunk an "age old myth" that it can be too cold to snow. However, air from the Arctic tends to hold less moisture than its warmer counterpart from the Pacific, which he said likely plays a role in popularizing that misconception.
"I think it was the relentless cold this year that did people in," said Phillips, pointing out that there were 13 days with air temperatures of -40 C or below - far more than the average of seven days.
"And those are the real numbers, not the wind chill factors that make things sound more extreme," he added.
There were also 60 days of -30 C or below, where normally there are 36.
New Years was the coldest 24-hour period of the year in the city. The coldest day recorded was Dec. 31 with air temperatures of -43.6 C and Jan. 1 saw temperatures of -43.1 C.
"You ended the year and brought in a new one at a very cold moment," said Phillips.
He added his calculations suggest it would have cost an average of 10 per cent more to keep buildings heated throughout the winter months.
"It wasn't just miserably cold, it cost you money."
Yellowknifers may have finally paid their dues when it comes to dealing with frigid temperatures.
While this winter and the one that came before it have been unseasonably cold, the long-range models are showing above-average temperatures for the summer, and an El Nino is expected to be declared before the coming winter, which should make for a much milder season.
"I can't say that winter is over, but it's had its last hurrah," said Phillips.
While he cautioned not to be too upset should the cold return for a few days, Phillips said Yellowknife is looking to be one of the best places in the country for the Easter long weekend, with temperatures holding steady in the single digits and uninterrupted sunshine.
Although April started out colder than normal, a warming trend is expected to begin later this month, and the period of May to August should be "warmer to warmer-than-normal."
El Nino involves a warming of waters in the Pacific, an anomaly that occurs roughly every seven years - although it has been happening more and more frequently, said Phillips.
Before an El Nino is official, the ocean's surface temperature must be measured at above-normal temperatures for three consecutive months.
While this hasn't happened yet, the Pacific's sub-surface temperatures are unusually high, which is very likely to mean the ocean's surface will warm once winter releases it's grip.
For these reasons, Phillips offered Yellowknifers this rosy prediction of the winter that is to come:
"Temperature-wise and duration-wise, it may not be as brutal."
