The record for Calgary in January is 16.5C.. in reality temperatures in the teens in Calgary in witner is not uncommon.. the record February temperature is 22.0C and 19.5C in December.. certainly mild though as it is all over Canada and a large portion of the US. 

Generally mild  through the Prairies and out west, yes, but not exactly balmy in southern Ontario (or eastern Canada in general) today with highs in Toronto around -12c and Ottawa -17c, both around 10c below average. The snowbelts of southern Ontario are also getting a pasting: http://www.londonwebcams.ca/ Though, as has been the case this winter so far it's a fleeting blast of cold air - temps will be back above freezing by later in the week.

The LRFs (at least most of the ones I saw) could not have been more wrong with the forecast of a frigid winter for Western Canada, at least thus far (and with the models suggesting no lingering deep cold in the area in the short term). Much as I like Brett Anderson, his seasonal temperature outlook isn't looking too clever right now (though he was far from alone in this!) http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/anderson/canadian-winter-forecast-update/58714

As you've all noted the main story in Calgary, and Alberta generally, has been the warmth and dryness (the former for the whole winter so far, the latter for November and the second half of December).  We have been consistently ~15c above average temperatures, and the trend looks set to continue into January (see http://wxmaps.org/pix/avnmr.850.html).  It's now reminding me of the winter of '04/'05 for the lack of much of anything winter-like.

A good barometer of our weather is Vancouver - if the pineapple express is in full operation and it's always raining there, we're pretty much guaranteed that the air getting to us, courtesy of a Chinook, will be warm and dry. 

So, we're starting January with almost all the snow gone,  a few more days of this and it will be brown everywhere.  Not too keen on that, but after the last two winters, the lack of one this year isn't bothering me as much as you might think.

Peter 

July 2011 - June 2012 Stats
Elevation: 1084m
Latitude: 51° 6' N
Warmest Temperature: 30.4c 29/08/11
Coldest Temperature: -21.5c 20/11/11
Days with thunderstorms: 4
Days with rain falling: 20
Days with snow falling: 14
Days with snow lying: 44
Maximum snow depth: 6" (15cm)
Current snow depth 0" (0cm, patchy remains)

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/MT8_Chicago_USA_ens.png

Some very mild weather for Chicago before proper winter kick in. Less so in Toronto but will get some milder weather after a very brief cold snap.

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/MT8_Toronto_Kanada_ens.png

Lack of snow on both regions this winter with 1cm as the highest for Dec in Toronto.

Peter and Stewart - This is worth a read thats to accuWeather:

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

Jan 5, 2012; 6:52 AM ET.
Even a normal second half of the winter would be a big change for many folks. (Louis DiBacco/Photos.com)

There are signals pointing toward a return to large storms over part of the United States along with another cold wave from the Midwest to the East beginning during the middle of January.

While record warmth in the West and a Sierra Nevada snow drought may continue, folks in the East were recently reminded that winter can still pack a punch.

Temperatures dipped to 17 degrees Wednesday morning in Washington, D.C. This matched the lowest temperatures of the entire season last winter. Tuesday was warmer in Calgary, Alberta, (50 degrees) than it was in Walt Disney World (49 degrees). Lake-effect snow finally hit depositing 1 to 2 feet of snow in some of the snowbelts.

Much of the nation is experiencing a lack of storms this week.

However, while there is still some uncertainty what the balance of the winter will bring, signals are pointing toward additional cold waves coming to the East and an uptick in large-scale storms beginning toward the middle of the month. The details will unfold soon.

Yes it really is incredibly mild over central areas of the States and Canada right now, especially the Plains and Prairies, as mild as any January spell I've seen in many years of NA weather watching.

+7c the high temperature expected in Winnipeg today, some 20c above average! Calgary managed 15c yesterday and Edmonton 12c.

Further south it's currently a warm 72f (22c) in Rapid City, South Dakota. The average high is 38f.

Still tentative signs of some form of pattern change mid-month with the latest GFS bringing some more arctic air to central and then eastern parts later next week (after a brief brush this weekend). Henry M hypes this up discusses this in his latest blog entry:

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/meteomadness/the-pattern-is-changing-and-winter-maybe-on-the-way/59894

Hello folks, back in Canada after my festive trip back to Scotland and also been offline for a few days with internet connection issues and now can't log in with my old TWO account at the minute, so for now it's v2!!

Missed a few days of snow while i was in Ayrshire, nothing overly significant for Southern Ont. and the weather still hasn't settled into a typical winter weather pattern. I missed the coldest day and night of the season so far on Tuesday, for some parts of Ontario actually the coldest temps for a couple of winters as temps dropped to -9c by day and -16c at night. As Graeme and others have posted temps once again re-bounded to 7c yesterday before now dropping to 0c today and even some snow flurries this morning.

The pattern remains the same through the coming week, one cold day followed by something milder. By the end of the week there are indications of a colder pattern (maybe - health warning attached!) Snow flurries forecast for Thursday and Friday. Not overly convinced however that all the talk on Accuweather will lead, at least in the short-term to a pattern change akin to last winter.

Actually very similar weather both in N America and Northern Europe this winter. Many places that would have snowcover don't, others are wetter than normal and for Scotland, particulary W Scotland an exceptionally wild and stormy spell. Tuesday's event in Ayrshire brought more slates and sky satallite damage and a ton load of delays on the roads, rail and air network. I hadn't experienced a good old storm in a while, and i got two 80mph + events during my return home.

Happy New Year (A wee bit late)

Yes and one place that is snowless with no snow cover is Calgary, has a high of 11C today - Which is just as warm as parts of England.

http://webcams.shawtv.com/athome-cams/cam1.jpg

Alaska is hogging all the snow with some places reporting 18 or even 24 feet having fallen.

http://www.adn.com/2012/01/07/2251886/roads-squeezed-sidewalks-vanish.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45923783/ns/weather/#.Twssxc-a9GU
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-01-09/alaska-buried-snow/52464070/1
 

Wow some of the photo on those sites especially the top listed one are amazing.

If we had snow like that here, the country would collapse

Unbelievable

Enough to give Bjorli a run for its money! ;)

In reality though coastal Alaska is incredibly snowy -so I'm not surprised.

Hi folks, managed to log in using my main account, so fingers x it stays working for me for a while! As Environment Canada say below, winter is FINALLY coming! Here's the Special weather statement released for many areas of Southern Ontario for the upcoming major pattern change :

Special weather statement
Updated by Environment Canada
At 6:52 AM EST Wednesday 11 January 2012.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Special weather statement for:
=new= City of Toronto
=new= Windsor - Essex - Chatham-Kent
=new= Sarnia - Lambton
=new= Elgin
=new= Niagara
=new= York - Durham
=new= Huron - Perth
=new= Dufferin - Innisfil
=new= Grey - Bruce
=new= Barrie - Orillia - Midland
=new= Belleville - Quinte - Northumberland
=new= Kingston - Prince Edward
=new= Peterborough - Kawartha Lakes
=new= Stirling - Tweed - South Frontenac
=new= Bancroft - Bon Echo Park
=new= Brockville - Leeds and Grenville
=new= City of Ottawa
=new= Gatineau
=new= Prescott and Russell
=new= Cornwall - Morrisburg
=new= Smiths Falls - Lanark - Sharbot Lake
=new= Parry Sound - Muskoka
=new= Haliburton
=new= Renfrew - Pembroke - Barry's Bay
=new= Algonquin
=new= Burk's Falls - Bayfield Inlet
      London - Middlesex
      Simcoe - Delhi - Norfolk
      Dunnville - Caledonia - Haldimand
      Oxford - Brant
      City of Hamilton
      Halton - Peel
      Waterloo - Wellington.

..Locally dense fog early this morning..
..A wintery change is in the offing for late in the week..

---------------------------------------------------------------------
==discussion==
Areas of low cloud and fog are persisting early this morning for
areas around Kitchener to Hamilton. The fog is locally dense with
near zero visibility until after sunrise when it is expected to
Begin burning off.

Following an extraordinary delay in true winter weather across much
of Ontario, mother nature is finally making a concerted attempt at
delivering more seasonal conditions. A significant disturbance over
Tennessee this morning will slowly intensify as it heads for the
Lower Great Lakes through Thursday, then stall over the region on
Friday. Increasing cloud today will be followed by rain by tonight
over Southern Ontario. Periods of rain will continue for much of
Thursday from the southwest to Lake Huron to the west end of Lake
Ontario. Mixed rain and wet snow will fall just north of this zone,
with pure snow east of Georgian Bay across much of Eastern Ontario.
Heaviest snowfall amounts near 15 centimetres are possible northeast
of Georgian Bay but there is considerable uncertainty as to the
Exact swath of heavy snow. Warnings may be issued as the path
Becomes more certain.

Colder, blustery weather is slated for Friday, along with snow for
most of Southern Ontario. Appreciable snowfall amounts of 5 to 10
centimetres or more are possible in many areas, including the
Greater Toronto area. The Friday morning commute may be quite
hazardous due to brisk winds, snow and blowing snow and falling
temperatures in many areas.

The public is advised to monitor future forecasts and warnings as
warnings may be required or extended.

Please monitor the latest forecasts and warnings from Environment
Canada at WWW.WEATHEROFFICE.GC.CA

It's mid-January but it does now look likely that winter will affect much of the GTA from tomorrow onwards for the first sustained period of this year. Temps expected to be below 0c and on Friday in particular the potential is there for a very unusual event as snowsqualls look to blow all the way across Ontario from Lake Huron causing whiteout conditions in some places, even populated areas of the Lakeshore region from Niagara all the way up past Toronto to Oshawa and NE. Regular readers of this forum will know, that usually the sheltered spots of T.O. & much of the GTA avoid the worst of the squalls from the prevailing NW unless major instability occurs or the wind blows of Lake Ontario which is the 'bonza' moment for the City of Hamilton area in particular.

We're still 48hrs away and the main storm hasn't been firmed up on yet. As the statement says main storm snowfall will be North of the GTA, but a slight shift further North or South of the main track will have major implications for the weather we see around here tomorrow and Friday. Regardless, winter is on it's way and judging by some of the comments i've quickly scanned on Accuweather, more snowevents are in the making for the rest of January for the Eastern 3rd of N America.

Take Care

Bjorli & Anchorage pretty much share the same lattitude and Anchorage is not exactly high up either being by the sea! But it does mean one thing - It is warmer than normal, usually more snow means warmer air. Perhaps there has been the high pressure over Western USA and Canada allowing low pressure to pass northwards bringing the snow to Alaska?!

Read this article on Alaskas snow - shocking really!!

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gJe0WJKeFqxaLhDrhgmJ-72iOjxg?docId=4ed60ae4f2df480a8ba82c53c3fdb50b

Hmmm the patterns associated with those predictions for late Jan/ Early Feb are consistent with a very negative NAO, interesting...

Finally it's good to see the jet stream taking a plunge across the NW US, will lead to a more favourable jet stream configuration if it plunges towards Central/SE US as well and I hope we do finally see the much above normal temperatures transferred to the far NE, either way a major pattern change taking shape across North America at the moment, can only be a good thing.

Hello folks, quick update on the snow. It has arrived earlier this morning giving many places across the GTA anything from a dusting to a covering. Places down the Lake from here like St.Catharine's reporting 5cm of snow this morning, here in the Hamilton area it's just a dusting for now, maybe 1cm if you push it. The snow has hit different areas as forecast to normal but perhaps not with the severity that was predicted on Wednesday. Again as always, areas near Lake Erie & Ontario's Eastern shore will get pummelled as are many locations further west of Hamilton including traditional snowbelt country NW of London as the latest Exeter, ON radar shows here - http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/radar/index_e.html?id=WSO.

Brutally cold weekend ahead though. -9c a high for Hamilton tomorrow and a low predicted of -15c for somepoint between Sat & Sun night. As cold as i'll have felt this season and on par with the brief blip on Jan 3. This spell of cold and snow will end abruptly on Monday as warmer air turns the snow to rain and temps recover. Unlike most of this winter though so far, indications are that the milder air will be a temporary affair allowing colder conditions to sweep in by next mid-week and maybe more snow?

Whatever your upto this weekend, make it a good one!

It seems crazy no snow, yet in Alaska they are talking prodgious amounts, far beyond normal

In europe - switzerland they are also talking enormous amounts 600cm 

Does it sometimes happen this way, that everythings gets upside down as it were?

It's mostly snowless right now....that will be changing.

You usually get a modified version of what we get a few days later...so be prepared!

Well, a big pattern change is about to affect us all in N America.  http://wxmaps.org/pix/avnmr.850.html

 tells the story...what is that big patch of purple coming my way...ah....

Having dodged anything resembling winter so far, it looks as if it is time to be properly reminded it is indeed January in Calgary.  We had a quick taster the other day with an inch of snow falling and kind of whitening the brown grass.  The cold plunge that is to come will not give us much snow - an inch or two followed by upslope flow flurries, but the main story will be the temps - currently sitting at a respectable 0c, by Monday -25c will be the ticket.   Staying indoors may also be the ticket - glad I can work from home and do not have to commute!

Peter 

July 2011 - June 2012 Stats
Elevation: 1084m
Latitude: 51° 6' N
Warmest Temperature: 30.4c 29/08/11
Coldest Temperature: -21.5c 20/11/11
Days with thunderstorms: 4
Days with rain falling: 20
Days with snow falling: 15
Days with snow lying: 48
Maximum snow depth: 6" (15cm)
Current snow depth 0-1" (patchy)

Not only here have a snowless mild winter but it doing badly over Toronto too.  Many mild days and little ice days and virtually poor snowfall amount to Trace as the best.

Morning all,

Well the much hyped pattern change is in the reliable timeframe at last. The upcoming regime was what was forecast as the default pattern in many of the LRFs this winter, but only now in mid-January is it setting in.

As Peter says -20s will be norm for Calgary from Monday onwards after some snow covers the ground on Sunday. Further east around the Great Lakes it looks like the cold will come and go with milder spells inbetween.

Interestingly though, there are signs that it may be a 10 day cold spell before a reversion to what we've seen for much of this winter - at least Joe Lundberg suggests as much http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/lundberg/growing-cold-to/60232 Henry M meanwhile is expecting the cold pattern to embed itself come February. Take your pick.

But staying within the reliable I'd like to see a decent snowstorm for the eastern Great Lakes - see if we can't put an end to Stewart's relative snow drought this winter (that said I wouldn't mind seeing a trace of snow here either!). Unfortunately the next storm early next week looks like setting its sights on the western Great Lakes so Chicago rather than Toronto for 10-15cm of snow.

It's snowing in Vancouver right now and there's a snowfall warning out for 5cm in the city and 10-15 in higher, inland surrounding areas - be worth looking at the webcams later! http://www.katkam.ca/ 

Have a good weekend everyone!