Spring to be more noticeable this year, climatologist says

This winter has been nicer than normal, with a late start to the snowfall and warmer-than-normal temperatures.

David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, joined Evan Bray on Thursday to discuss the mild winter season and explain what the province can expect going forward.

Phillips said this winter is tied as the second-warmest on record in Saskatchewan.

“It wasn’t quite as balmy as back in the winter of 1986-87,” he said, “but this tied two other winters.”

Phillips said Environment Canada defines winter as the months of December, January and February.

As for snowfall, Phillips said many people across Saskatchewan could still see their lawns in early January, even though halfway through March, all that can be seen is snow in many areas.

Phillips said the most recent snowstorms may have left smiles on the faces of farmers.

“In the last three or four weeks, half the annual snowfall has occurred in that short period of time,” said Phillips.

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With spring on the horizon, Phillips outlined what we can expect to see over the next couple of months.

“Overall, it looks like our models are saying precipitation looks less than normal going forward,” said Phillips. “However, I wouldn’t bet the family farm or the fishing fleet on that.”

Phillips noted it’s very difficult to predict what the precipitation levels could be like over an extended period of time.

As for what the temperatures could look like, Phillips said they’ll probably stay around the seasonal norms.

That means spring will be a more noticeable season this year compared to 2023, when winter seemed to transform into summer overnight.

Even though the snow is still on the ground, it’s never too early to start looking ahead to the warmer times of summer, and Phillips shared his predictions for the summer season as well.

“It looks like the summer is going to be warmer than normal,” said Phillips. “(It’s) not necessarily El Niño driven, it’s just the fact there’s a lot of residual heat in the lakes, in the rivers and the oceans.”

Phillips said it’s probably safe to bet a few loonies on another warmer-than-normal summer season.