Weather Network forecasting soggy spring for Niagara
The area will likely see an above normal amount of precipitation this spring
NIAGARA RESIDENTS can expect a wet spring. The Weather Network released its spring forecast Monday and meteorologist Brad Rousseau said Niagara is likely to see near or slightly above seasonal temperatures. He said when it comes to precipitation, an active storm track into the Great Lakes basin will impact Niagara, so the area will likely see an above normal amount of precipitation this spring. “This time of year probably will be a little bit more rainfall, but that doesn’t mean the area is free of snow,” said Rousseau. “Niagara region, throughout March, normally sees about 23 centimetres of snow, so certainly March isn’t free of the winter weather and you’ll probably see a few bouts of winter return throughout the early part of March. But as you get later March, April, May, you’ll probably start trending more toward seasonal and maybe even just slightly a bit above.” He said Niagara and the 401 corridor will likely see similar spring conditions. “As you get more toward cottage country and northeastern Ontario and northwestern Ontario, that’s kind of where that cold area will be, so they’ll likely stay just slightly
below seasonal for temperatures. But, for the most part, the above normal precipitation will be across the board for much of the province.” As for this winter, Rousseau said it has been “pretty much” on par with what would be considered seasonal. He said the average temperature trended slightly below seasonal, but “pretty much on par with what you would expect for the winter months.” “In terms of precipitation, you guys were just a little shy of what you normally see, but in terms of winter (as a whole), everything panned out pretty much normal for you. Just about a typical winter.” Rousseau said there has been a “hiccup” as winter nears an end with some warmer than normal days. He said based on climate data from Welland, the temperature hit 17.9 C on Feb. 20, which was a record for that day in the area. The area also saw a temperature of 17.9 C Feb. 21, which was only .6 C cooler than the record of 18.5 C set in 1997. “Hitting 18 degrees is quite significant.”