- 4.0°C above normal
- Warmest winter since records began in 1948
- Driest out of the past 63 years, 22% below normal
- Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan had 60% less precipitation than normal
It really has been extraordinary. Says David Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment Canada:
"I think it’s a combination of a strong El Nino and the shrinking and disappearance of the ice at the top of the world," says Phillips, adding that changing "pressure spots" in the Arctic and Atlantic also played a role. "They’ve all been working in cahoots to create this unbelievable winter."
Oh yes, and it looks like the tulips are coming up already. That could mean poor timing for the Tulip Festival here in Ottawa, May 7th to the 24th. We usually have snow coverage on the ground until early April, which would delay growth, but not this year. As far as the tulips are concerned, it feels like spring.
