Winter weather forecast: Nope, winter in Canada has "not been cancelled"

The Weather Network | Cast Of Thousands/Shutterstock

Parts of Canada have been seeing some warm winter weather — the warmest winter temperatures on record, in fact. But all that is about to change this month as winter finally starts to feel very much like winter.

Despite the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been experiencing, temperatures are set to plunge, and snow is still very much on the table. Despite the high temperatures in December, “winter has not been cancelled,” warns The Weather Network (TWN).

December 2023 (The Weather Network)

“January will look considerably different by comparison as winter finally gets a tighter grip on the country,” reads the report. “Winter has felt more like late fall so far across Canada.”

Although some parts have had their share of winter weather since November, there’s been no “consistent winter weather” as places recorded some of the warmest temperatures for December due to El Niño.

The first week of January (The Weather Network)

Although the warm weather will continue into the first week of January, that’s about to change as Northern Canada experiences a polar vortex starting mid-January. Hints of it will be visible in the blue and green areas that show “colder than normal” temperatures in the Arctic, Yukon, and Northwestern Territories.

While the east will see average temperatures, western and central Canada will see temperatures continue to drop in the second week of January.

The second week of January (The Weather Network)

“Also, keep in mind that we are now approaching the coldest time of year, so heavy snow and ice can still fall with above-normal temperatures,” states the forecast. “At this point, we expect that the second and third week of January will feature a very active storm track from the Great Lakes to Atlantic Canada.”

It’s going to look a lot like winter in the second half of the month, but there’s a chance of milder temperatures before the cold returns.

So, what can Canadians expect?

While January is about to be a sharp contrast to December, it’s actually expected to be average to a little above average for that time of the year.

“While winter was very much delayed, it won’t be denied this year,” states the forecast.

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