The snow was flying a little early this year.
Much of the Peace Region witnessed the first snowfall of the season yesterday 鈥� two weeks before the official end of summer 鈥斅� while Environment Canada issued snowfall warnings for Fort Nelson and Muncho Lake.
And this is just the beginning, according to one group. A harsh winter is in store for Canada, says the 2015 Old Farmer鈥檚 Almanac 鈥� but don鈥檛 stock up on winter socks just yet, warns Environment Canada.
The 200-year old guide鈥檚 latest edition predicts an especially cold winter followed by an especially hot summer. However, David Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment Canada, said that his preliminary prediction is that it won鈥檛 be so bad, judging by the severity of last year鈥檚 winter.
鈥淚t was certainly cold across the prairies and a good chunk of Canada. I鈥檝e been saying that it鈥檚 hard for nature to produce two years in a row with a tough winter,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur seasons are warmer, all of them 鈥� and particularly winter 鈥� so my sense is that they may be totally wrong on this one.鈥�
Phillips added that in the Northeast in particular, there is a weak El Nino formation expected to come through that would warm the region.
鈥淲hat I鈥檝e seen today is that the models seem to suggest that it will come out,鈥� he said, pegging the likelihood at 65 per cent, which he added was a slightly lower chance than the same models had predicted a few weeks ago.
鈥淭he feeling is that it will come through and it鈥檒l be weak, but it does generally mean even in a weak state, it does generally bring for your area more 91原创 air than Arctic air,鈥� Phillips said.
聽The almanac claims to be 80 per cent right, a claim that Phillips finds dubious.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 even think they鈥檙e 50 per cent right, to tell you the truth, because nobody ever challenges them,鈥� he said.
The original Old Farmer鈥檚 Almanac was founded in 1792. The newer 91原创 version has been published annually since 1982. Its pages are filled with humorous advice and tips for things like gardening and cooking.
Phillips did admit that he enjoys the Old Farmer鈥檚 Almanac, but not for the forecasts.
