DREAMS OF WHITE CHRISTMAS TO COME TRUE
Environment Canada’s senior climatologist is guaranteeing a white Christmas for Calgarians this year, and says the rest of the province is also likely to enjoy fresh snow leading up to the holiday.
David Phillips said he wasn’t sure southern areas of Alberta around Lethbridge and Medicine Hat would meet Environment Canada’s criteria for a white Christmas, which is two centimetres of snow on the ground Christmas morning. But now he’s calling for snow throughout the weekend that should stick around until at least Dec. 25.
“On the Prairies, I think it’s a done deal,” said Phillips.
In Calgary, Environment Canada is calling for a 60 per cent chance of flurries on Saturday, snow on Sunday and more flurries Monday. Phillips said the fresh snow, combined with the already existing 10 centimetres will make Calgary’s Christmas picture perfect.
“Come Christmas morning, with some sunshine, it’s going to look like a Christmas card,” he said. “The only thing that would be better is if you got a little bit of snow on Tuesday.”
Phillips said the snow won’t be enough to cause major traffic issues on Christmas Day, but temperatures will be chilly at -12 degrees, about 10 degrees below the city’s average for the day.
Elsewhere i n Canada, Phillips said Vancouver and Victoria will see typical rainy Christmases, despite snowfall Wednesday in the Vancouver area. Northern central Ontario and parts of Quebec including Montreal should see fresh snow on or before Christmas Day. Toronto and Atlantic Canada have “no chance” of a white Christmas, he said.
Albertans should consider themselves lucky to be able to enjoy a wintry, snowy Christmas, Phillips said, with white Christmases becoming increasingly uncommon across the country.
“It’s not something that is a slam dunk nowadays,” he said.