Winter is coming, but it won’t be packing the same punch as it will for the rest of Canada.
A mild winter is expected in Greater Victoria with slightly above normal temperatures and below-average precipitation, according to The Weather Network.
“Compared to the whole of Canada, the south Vancouver Island region will have a much more pleasant winter season,” said Brad Rousseau, a meteorologist for The Weather Network.
“We can expect fewer than normal rainy days, but the pattern can break at any time.”
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Chief meteorologist Chris Scott said there will be above-normal precipitation in southern Alberta, with especially frigid temperatures throughout the province.
The trend of a deep freeze will continue through Saskatchewan and Manitoba. That’s especially the case in the southern parts of the Prairies, where Scott said he expects cold air to anchor down for the season.
From southern Ontario to southern Quebec, Scott said people can prepare for a winter that’s colder than usual and has much more precipitation than normal.
In Atlantic Canada, Scott predicted it won’t be bitterly cold, but it will be a very stormy season.
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While it may mean Greater Victoria likely won’t have a white Christmas, residents shouldn’t rule out the complete absence of snow. There will be a possibility to see random flurries, most likely in mid to late January and early February.
The Weather Network doesn’t expect a ‘Pineapple Express,’ known as a heavy flow of moisture from Hawaii which hits parts of the Pacific coast. Notably, the weather phenomenon recently hit parts of Vancouver Island over the past weekend.
“It’ll be drier for the most part,” Rousseau said. “The winter will be sluggish as we head into spring. An average cold night in January is around 1 to 1.5 C. Greater Victorians can expect something similar to those temperatures this upcoming winter.”
– with files from The Canadian Press
aaron.guillen@goldstreamgazette.com
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