TORONTO - Most Canadians can expect a "tame" Christmas morning when it comes to the weather, according to one of the country's foremost forecasters.
With a few exceptions, said Environment Canada senior meteorologist Dave Phillips, 99 per cent of the country will have snow on the ground for Christmas morning. "My sense is that the only areas that will have a green Christmas would be Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary and the Windsor, Ont. region."
For Vancouver and Victoria that's not unusual since they only have snow about one Christmas out of 10.
Phillips said having snow on the ground is in sharp contrast to last winter when most places didn't receive a latest of true winter weather until well after New Year's.
However, Toronto for example, has received more than 55 centimetres of snow so far this season compared to less than one centimetre at this time last year. The Ottawa-area has been buried by about 160 centimetres of snow compared to just 12 in 2006.
Phillips said in a Christmas Eve telephone interview that a white Christmas is defined as having two centimetres of snow on the ground at 7 a.m. Christmas morning.
He said no region is bracing for a major weather event that would make it difficult to get around on Christmas morning.
"I don't think people will find weather that would cause unwanted house guests to stay over, so that would make for a perfect Christmas," he said.
Several areas of the country, including the Quebec City area and south of Montreal, are likely to receive a dusting of snow during the day Tuesday.
There is a 70 per cent chance of snow across northern Ontario.
Phillips said that for the most part, temperatures across the country were likely to be at the freezing mark or slightly below.
