FebruaryB次元官网网址檚 snowy ending capped off what was a generally cold and dry meteorological winter, according to Environment Canada.
The past week was a frosty one, with snow storms and a record-breaking daily low temperature of -12.9 Celsius at Nanaimo Airport on Feb. 24. That same day, the daytime high was just -0.2 C, which was also a record, said Trevor Smith, Environment Canada meteorologist.
The mean temperature for February in Nanaimo was 3 C, compared to the normal average temperature of 4.3 C. Smith said February also ended up being a fairly dry month with a total precipitation (rain and snowmelt) of 58.6 millimetres, much lower than the normal 126mm of precipitation for the month.
B次元官网网址淭hat was the 17th driest February on record,B次元官网网址� Smith said.
For the entire meteorological winter B次元官网网址� December, January, February B次元官网网址� precipitation for Nanaimo was below normal at 404.8mm compared to the normal average of 484.4mm.
This winter was little colder than normal too with a mean temperature for the three months settling at 2.7 C, below the normal 3.5C, making it the 31st coldest winter since record keeping began in the 1890s.
B次元官网网址淲e had a cold December and then we had mild January and now weB次元官网网址檝e got a colder February,B次元官网网址� Smith said. B次元官网网址淲e had all the arctic air through much of December, January was mild southwest flow and then, come February, late in the month, we had this outbreak of arctic air. Overall the arctic air tended to dominate more than it normally does for those three months.B次元官网网址�
Smith suggested one factor influencing winter conditions on the Island is the persistent La Ni帽a oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the tropics.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e still in this La Ni帽a pattern B次元官网网址� this is the third winter of having La Ni帽a conditions in the tropical Pacific,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hat does tend to, kind of stack the deck in favour of seeing more arctic outbreaks and I think thatB次元官网网址檚 what we saw this winter. It actually came in very early. In November we had arctic air and then once again in December, especially just before Christmas.B次元官网网址�
More snow is expected for the Island this week, but it may affect only higher-elevation locations, such as the Port Alberni hump and Sutton Pass on Highway 4. Nanaimo and most of the IslandB次元官网网址檚 lower elevations are more likely get mostly rain.
B次元官网网址淢ount Washington should get a good dump and thatB次元官网网址檚 the way we want it, rain in the low lands and snow in the mountains,B次元官网网址� Smith said.
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