it's snow! white stuff blankets windsor-essex ahead of more 'normal' winter
old man winter just couldn’t wait until the month of de...
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a pedestrian enjoys the first local taste of winter, walking along riverside drive west in windsor on a cold and snowy friday, nov. 29, 2024.
dan janisse
/
windsor star
old man winter just couldn’t wait until the month of december to give windsor-essex its first real taste of the snowy season. a light snowfall blanketed the region friday morning, followed by a few more dustings of the white stuff over the weekend.
“it’s very little … but it’s the first accumulating snow of the season,” environment canada meteorologist steven flisfeder told the star.
it’s of course nothing compared to the wonderful (depending on your perspective) wintry weather already being embraced across the country, but get used to it — environment canada is forecasting a more ‘normal’ winter season this year for windsor and essex county.
last year was the winter that wasn’t, with windsor-essex (and canada as a whole) breaking a record for warmest december through february period ever. blame an unusually strong el niño and climate change.
while no warm winter records are expected to break again this year, canada’s weather forecasters are predicting ‘above-normal’ temperatures for everywhere from windsor and the eastern great lakes region to newfoundland and labrador. the prairies will see a ‘near-normal’ winter, while alberta, b.c. and yukon can expect ‘below-normal’ temperatures.
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“winter will at least attempt to salvage its reputation across canada,” said chris scott, the weather network’s chief meteorologist.
precipitation, however, will be ‘above normal’ for windsor-essex and much of ontario, according to environment canada, so get those snow shovels dusted off.
the federal agency warns that combination of higher temperatures and higher precipitation could mean an increased threat of rain and ice conditions for southern ontario.
a group of runners are shown on a cold and snowy friday, nov. 29, 2024, along the detroit river waterfront in windsor.
dan janisse
/
windsor star
as for the here and now, the coming week will see the windsor area’s overnight temperatures as low as -8 celsius and daytime highs hovering around freezing to 2 c.
in advance of friday’s first snowfall of the season, the city of windsor issued a reminder to motorists to slow down, give extra room for stopping, and drive according to weather and road conditions.
public works staff monitor weather forecasts and begin salting when required to keep roads safe, the city said.
the city of windsor has also put out its annual call for snow angels — volunteers to be matched with seniors and persons with physical disabilities in their neighbourhoods to help with shovelling after snowfalls. to become a snow angel, call the city’s 311 line or email 311@citywindsor.ca.
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the weather network’s scott said it’s important to keep in mind that climate change has shifted what is considered normal. the forecasts of above- or below-normal temperatures and precipitation are based on average conditions over roughly the past 30 years.
“if we were comparing to a typical winter in the ’50s or the ’40s, or you go way back into the late 1800s, these winters, the cold we have now, it just doesn’t compare,” scott said.
“it’s almost — i wouldn’t say impossible — but it’s incredibly rare to set all-time record lows now.”
— with files from taylor campbell and the canadian press
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