March cold snap ‘unfair,’ says Environment Canada climatologist

March is winding down across Saskatchewan with very few signs of spring or warmer days.

Temperatures on Monday in Saskatoon and Regina were hovering around -10 C — conditions more suited for skating on an outdoor rink than riding a bicycle, which Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips says people were doing last year at this time.

“We’re seeing temperatures that are 10 to 20 degrees colder than they should be,” Phillips told the 650 CKOM Morning Show on Monday.

“This is like what you expect in January and you can put up with it in January. You do not expect this in March.”

Phillips said he can understand why people are losing patience waiting for spring-like conditions to arrive.

Normal daytime temperatures at the end of March for both Saskatoon and Regina are around 5 C.

Phillips said the long-range forecast doesn’t offer much improvement until the middle of April.

“The atmosphere hasn’t got the email. The atmosphere should be bringing you Pacific air (and) southerly air. It’s unfair,” said Phillips.

“It’s not good for the next three weeks. On April 17 — mark that day in your calendar — this is when I think we’ll really see a change.”