With 30 centimetres coming down in the Bancroft area today, some may be wishing for an even earlier Spring, but Environment Canada says the season this year might not be what you’re hoping for.
Environment Canada Meteorologist Gerald Cheng predicts Spring will bring average temperatures in the area, but Winter weather might linger. “For skiers or snowboards I think they want winter to last a little longer,” he jokes, mentioning the snowstorm that’s hitting Ontario.
“That doesn’t tell you the whole story,” Cheng continues. Before winter got underway, Environment Canada predicted a milder then usual season which he points out was correct, but Cheng adds there were still long stretches of cold weather and multiple snowstorms. “This is the problem with winter and spring we see a lot of fluctuations,” he says. In the Bancroft area next week, Environment Canada forecasts warmer temperatures and the possibility of rain.
The area has already gotten a “taste” of Spring, Cheng says. Earlier this month the temperature was hovering above zero and, up until this week’s snowstorm, the snow was melting away from the roads and sidewalks.
“That doesn’t mean won’t get big snows,” Cheng says. He explains that the seasonal forecast is only part of the story. While it may not happen, Cheng says it’s not unheard of to have flurries fall in May. “I wouldn’t put away your shovels, coats and boots until well into April,” he says.