Climatologist tells Bray warmer temperatures should continue all winter

As November wraps up and the holiday season gets into full swing, it is not beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Saskatchewan.

Environment and Climate Change Canada senior climatologist David Phillips joined The Evan Bray Show on Thursday to talk about the mild winter so far and what folks in Saskatchewan can expect to see going forward as well as the effect the lack of snow has had on farmers.

Temperatures in Saskatoon will be five degrees warmer than normal. According to Phillips, that is a huge difference.

In Regina, temperatures have been around three degrees warmer than normal.

“In the last seven months, six of those have been warmer than normal,” said Phillips. “Snow begets the cold and when you don’t have the snow on the ground, there’s still some heat abstracted from the ground to warm that cooler air.

“So when you have snow on the ground, it’s the great insulator.”

Phillips said there isn’t any need for a comparison of temperatures this year compared to last year.

“Temperatures last year at this time, Regina had a temperature high of -15 (C and) a low of -19,” said Phillips. “In Saskatoon, it was -14 for a high … and at night, it was -22.”

When looking at the forecast, temperatures never fall too far below zero and tend to come back up to positive daytime highs, Phillips explained.

He said people should enjoy the warm weather before it changes.

“When you’re blessing the weather you have now, you may be cursing it later on,” said Phillips.

Phillips said his forecast model is showing more pacific air and less arctic air, which means the warmer temperatures should continue.

“January (and) February, we see a milder-than-normal winter,” said Phillips.

The lack of snow and precipitation could have farmers stressing a bit after another dry summer.

“With southern air, there maybe is a greater chance to get some of the precipitation,” said Phillips. “I wouldn’t throw in the towel yet in November. You don’t lose your crop in November.”

Phillips said there is still some time to refill and recharge the soil moisture content. Precipitation clearly picks up by early March and extends through April, he explained.

“The rescue rains, the rescue precipitation, comes much later,” said Phillips.

Phillips said any snow that falls now will stay for the season, which could mean a white Christmas for Saskatchewan.

“I mean, death and taxes and a white Christmas are the things,” Phillips said of things that are certain.

Phillips added there’s still a long way to go before anyone can declare a brown Christmas.