This holiday weekend will be a mix of rain, some light snow and the start of colder temperatures.
Christmas Day is expected to be cloudy with mild temperatures at 4 degrees that feel like minus-1. Woolwich is looking at a 30 per cent chance of rain as Santa delivers presents and a small drop to minus-2 into the evenings, set to feel like minus-9.
Boxing Day shopping will be paired with some flurries and a bit of sunshine with a 40 per cent chance of precipitation, cooling down into the nighttime to minus-4.
Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips is eyeing up the sky for the arrival of the man in red Friday night.
“Here we are in the middle of December and really winter is only starting to arrive in this country. Sometimes winter arrives by Thanksgiving Day or certainly by Halloween. The first part of winter was slow to arrive, so we know the next part of winter is going to be winter-like. We don’t forecast the length of winter – my sense is that we know winter might only be three months long in parts of Canada, which would be alright for most Canadians.”
Phillips explained that several winters in a row have been warmer for parts of southern Ontario than previously.
“How many seasons in a row have been warmer than normal? It’s nonstop. I always think the best weather is normal weather. There are people who like to snowmobile and ski, they’re always disappointed when winter isn’t winter. And those that hate winter are glad when they can cheat it. Most of the province looks that way – normal temperatures.”
As the end of the month comes near, little snow has hit the ground, hinting at what Phillips thinks will be a short winter. He noted that heavier snow typically falls in the early months of the new year.
“I think we cheated winter already. Those people that like winter, well it’s too early to ski or ice fish now; your time will come when it turns colder in the long days of January and February.”
Phillips mentioned it was too early to predict what the weather will be like in 2022, as models have changed within the last month.
“I think this winter might be something for everybody. Generally in Ontario it seems to be between that warmth of the south and the east and into the coldness of the North. That’s changed in the last month, so by the beginning of January well have a clear understanding of how the cold part, the January and February part of winter, will play out.”
It may be a white Christmas as some snow comes in Thursday and Friday, but it is unlikely many residents in the area will have to dig their cars out during the holiday rush this weekend, as the chances of a large dump of snow are low.
