Winter 'cancelled' in Toronto amid warm season: Environment Canada climatologist
A senior climatologist with Environment Canada says winter was "cancelled" in Toronto as it has been unseasonably warm this season.
"Winter didn't happen. It was cancelled in the Toronto area. And that was probably the situation right across the country," Dave Phillips said in an interview with CTV News Toronto Thursday.
"It was balmy, tropical. I can't think of better warm words to describe what this winter (has been). It just didn't happen."
Phillips added that Toronto has never seen a warmer December, January and February until this season. The city usually sees 34 days of -10 C within those three months, but Toronto only recorded nine cold days.
"It was actually slightly warmer than normal, and almost about four and a half degrees warmer than you'd normally expect," Phillips said.
"There's never been a warmer winter in more than a century and a half for the downtown area."
While he was not surprised, Phillips said it was still shocking to see the numbers. In February alone, several high-temperature records were broken in Toronto.
WHAT'S THE CAUSE?
Ahead of this winter, forecasters warned that the climate phenomenon known as El Niño would play a factor and lead to above-average temperatures and lower-than-normal precipitation levels.
El Niño occurs when the surface temperature in the tropical region of the Pacific Ocean extending westward from Ecuador rises, affecting the global jet stream pattern.
Phillips said that besides El Niño, which he noted was the third warmest in 70 years, climate change is also behind the mild winter.
"We know our winters are not what they used to be. We still may be the Great White North, but boy, you wouldn't know it by our winters. They just are so tame and open and soft compared to years before," Phillips said.
"All of those forces were moving in the same direction -- El Niño, warm oceans, climate change."
The senior climatologist added that the extraordinarily warm winter season was felt globally.
"There's never been a warmer winter globally than what we saw in December, January and February. (It's) quite remarkable," Phillips said.
FINAL DAYS OF WINTER
Although spring officially begins in less than two weeks, Phillips said residents should not put away their snow shovels just yet.
He noted that Toronto typically sees 20 centimetres of snow this month.
"I mean, you can be seduced into thinking winter's not going to happen, but sometimes we know that nature … really has the trump card here, and I would never bet against a winter return to wintry weather," Phillips said.
"The only thing, if it does occur, it is usually short-lived, and what comes in one day nature can take away in the next day in terms of snow."
And Toronto may get some snow this weekend. On Friday, there will be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 9 C and a 40 per cent chance of showers late in the evening.
It will be wet on Saturday with rain or snow in the forecast and a high 6 C and a low of -1 C.
On Sunday, flurries are expected with a high of 2 C.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.