A winter season that lacked commitment in its early days is likely to finish strong before springB次元官网网址檚 sluggish arrival, according to predictions from a prominent forecaster.

The Weather Network said a warm jet stream resulted in above-average winter temperatures for most of Canada, but it expects that trend to change in the seasonB次元官网网址檚 final stretch.

Chief Meteorologist Chris Scott acknowledged the predictions contained in the networkB次元官网网址檚 spring outlook probably arenB次元官网网址檛 what most Canadians want to hear.

B次元官网网址淭here were periods this winter where it was wild and people were throwing the baseball around in early February B次元官网网址� so Canadians might be a bit surprised at the tenaciousness of winter,B次元官网网址� he said in a phone interview.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got, frankly, more than a month before we can really start to talk about consistent warmth.B次元官网网址�

But Scott added itB次元官网网址檚 not all bad news, noting spring temperatures are forecast to be warmer than normal when they finally do set in.

And since the winter lacked heavy snowpacks, Scott said areas that typically flood will see less water overflow at the start of spring, and an active storm track that may bring above-normal precipitation across Canada will help delay fire season in the west.

The west coast and the Prairies may also see an extended ski season because of the cool, wet start to the spring, he added.

Some southern parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba B次元官网网址渃ould look and feel wintrier than what we saw during the heart of winterB次元官网网址� because of the above-normal precipitation in those regions, Scott said.

The weather outlook predicts similar conditions will persist in Ontario and Quebec. Periods of colder than normal temperatures and messy winter storms are predicted for March and even parts of April.

The prolonged winter trend is expected to hold true for provinces farther east as well, Scott said.

B次元官网网址淪ome places in eastern Canada may see more winter weather in the next few weeks strung together than weB次元官网网址檝e seen all winter long,B次元官网网址� he said.

But Scott forecast temperatures will end up B次元官网网址渨armer than normalB次元官网网址� in Atlantic Canada as the spring season progresses.

Conditions in northern Canada are on tap to be a bit of a mixed bag, Scott said, noting the forecast calls for precipitation levels to be near seasonal norms across the region.

Spring temperatures, however, are expected to be below average in southern Yukon and Northwest Territories, while areas around Baffin Island and parts of Hudson Bay are predicted to see conditions that are warmer than normal.

Scott credits a warm jet stream from the coast of South America for the largely mild winter, noting such conditions are increasingly likely to reoccur.

B次元官网网址淲e can tell you that the odds of seeing this type of a winter are increasing because thereB次元官网网址檚 just more warmth in the global weather pattern,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 more opportunity that when it gets warm, it gets really warm. This does feel like a great example of where we are with our climate now versus maybe 40, 50 years ago. ItB次元官网网址檚 much harder to get winters that are more consistently cold across Canada.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擣akiha Baig, The Canadian Press