Across Canada, a giant northern country known for its harsh winters and snowfalls so deep they can swallow a car, people may wake up this Christmas with a simple question: “Where is the snow?” There aren’t many out there.”
From North to South, tracts of land that should be white with frost are instead green and brown.
“I've been following the weather for 55 years and I've never seen a type of winter like the official first day of winter like we have now,” said David Phillips, a veteran climatologist with the federal government's Ministry of the Environment.
“It doesn't feel like winter, it doesn't feel like it's winter, but it's still winter. And I think that, for me, is the main shock,” he said by phone.
Approximately 75% of Canadians typically have a “white Christmas,” officially defined as two centimeters of snow on the ground, and the number is now close to zero.
Winters are often harsher in landlocked provinces like Alberta, where snow can stay on the ground for five months or more. But on Friday (22), the high temperature in the capital Edmonton was 7º C, compared to -28º C last year.
Further east in the province of Manitoba, the mild weather is even affecting the city of Winnipeg, which is traditionally so cold this time of year that locals nickname it “Winterpeg.”
“Normally, we have accumulations of snow. And it’s very mild this year… there’s barely any snow,” city resident Lynn Stadnyk said by phone, noting that she could still see grass on neighbors’ lawns.
“Personally, I like it, because you can get in and out of the door without five layers,” he added.
In some ways, this shouldn't come as a surprise. The year 2023 looks set to be one of the hottest on record, and Canada hasn't had a chance to cool down. Another reason is the El Niño phenomenon, a warming of ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific that often results in cooler temperatures.
Canadians often ask each other “Is it cold enough for you?” as temperatures bite, but that may be going out of style.
And the trend toward warmer winters means people will likely spend less time outside engaging in traditional activities like skiing, sledding or skating.
“What you’re seeing now this winter is really a preview of what will be normal decades from now,” said Phillips, who has an idea of how to address the problem.
“I think if we could move Christmas to a month later, well, we would almost guarantee a white Christmas everywhere. But that’s not going to happen,” he said with a laugh.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
