Canadians should brace for coldest winter in almost 15 years: forecast

(Canadian Press)
TORONTO - Environment Canada says it appears the country will have to endure its coldest winter in almost 15 years as everyone is reminded what a real Canadian winter feels like.

Senior climatologist David Phillips says Canada has had a number of warmer than normal winters in recent years, but this December through February is forecast to be one of the harshest in recent memory.

With the exception of a small pocket in southern Ontario, the entire country is coloured blue for colder than normal on Environment Canada's weather map.

Precipitation forecasts are less reliable, but Phillips says the colder winter will likely result in a lot of white Christmas' across the country.

Last year, a number of traditionally cold and snow-covered cities like Quebec City, Ottawa and Timmins, Ont., had their first green Christmas in decades.

Phillips says a cold winter with lots of snow is good for the economy, and will likely push people into doing their Christmas shopping and booking holidays to escape the cold.

"I always think it's good for the economy when weather is behaving like it should, when winters are cold and summers are hot," he said.

"With the Canadian dollar the way it is and with this colder than normal weather, it very well may be that the busiest people in the country are travel agents."

Phillips says the forecast for cold weather is being triggered by La Nina, a period of lower than normal temperatures in the Pacific Ocean.

Ah, yet more Global Warming! The IPCC, NDP, Davids Suzuki, Phillips et al should be made to march through downtown Winnipeg in their Birkenstocks and loin cloths until they recant, repent and relent. Complete idiocy. - McL