No snow winter? What Canadians should expect for the rest of the season

globalnews.ca:

snow? Turns out, they may not have to wait much longer.Global News chief meteorologist Anthony Farnell says after seeing the warmest December on record across the country, January will see a change in the pattern.“It’s going to start in the West, that’s where the cold and snow begins, but then I think as the month progresses, we’re going to see widespread cold and snowy conditions across much of the country,” he said.The lack of both has put a damper on many winter activities from coast to coast.In Quebec, despite its southern region being hit by a major snowstorm in early December, rainy and warm weather washed away most of the 30 centimetres that fell. It’s also washed out any plans for outdoor ice rinks in Montreal and other municipalities.Skiers in Manitoba also struggled, with grainy and icy snow making it difficult for cross-country enthusiasts to enjoy the paths.Ski hills have also faced problems, with several reporting fewer than half their tracks open to the public during the recent holiday season.The lack of snow is not necessarily surprising given the presence of El Niño, with Farnell having forecast last month that nearly the entire country would see milder weather through much of December.As for the blast of cold previously forecast to hit around the holidays, well, that has changed slightly, Farnell said, but the cold is still “definitely coming.”“The big question is, does it stay?” he said.

“Does it have staying power?”The answer is a bit mixed, Farnell says. February could see some milder air creeping back into the country, though it will be a “very active” January in terms of weather.El Niño sees warmer-than-normal water impacting the jet stream and weather patterns around the planet, leading to milder