Pack Your Bags, Canada: Snowy Winter Ahead

Canadians putting off a visit to their favourite sun destinations due to the weak Canadian dollar may want to rethink their plans to stay closer to home this winter season. That’s because, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson, there's a snowy winter in store for many of Canada’s major cities.

That Canada is looking forward to a cold winter season isn’t exactly news.The Canadian Farmer’s Almanac began making similar predictions more than a month ago.

“It’s going to be downright cold,” said Almanac Editor Pete Geiger in an interview with CBC Radio. The prediction, which Farmer’s Almanac asserts has about an 80 to 85 per cent chance of being accurate, was not welcome news, especially after last winter’s mild season, and quickly went viral.

Sunwing Vacations even tried to capitalize on the report by promoting a special sale on its sun destinations.

But for weather doubters, now AccuWeather is backing up the forecast with predictions of its own.

Of course, the prairie provinces are already starting to feel the bite of winter, but said Andersen, residents can expect the weather to get worse. A lot worse.

“A pattern change by midwinter will likely send waves of very cold Arctic air directed into the southern Prairies for January and February," said Anderson.

Southern Ontario, which has just finished battling epic rainfall and state-of-emergency flooding, can expect a snowy winter. In fact, much of eastern Canada will see “a higher probability of significant snowfall events from eastern Ontario through Quebec and into New Brunswick and Newfoundland," per Anderson. Heavy snowfall is expected at some of Canada’s largest cities, including Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec City.

And the lucky residents of the Maritimes should see, “constant battles between snow, ice and rain.”

Along the West coast, a stormy start of the season will mean heavy rainfall and strong winds. Skiers, however can expect to see heavy snow accumulation, “which should get the western ski season off to a good start.”

Read more: Vali Resorts acquiring Whistler Blackcomb

While much of Canada battles arctic air, the northern regions, including the Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory and Nunavut, can all expect to see temperatures that are warmer than normal.

For more information, visit Anderson’s blog at AccuWeather.com. Anderson covers short-term and long-term weather and storm forecasts for Canada.

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