At long last, winter loses it's grip, there's some sign that the end is in sight.  After having done our -30's this week, we're now warming up, and in a warm pattern for the weekend and the rest of the week.  Temperatures reaching double digits, and maybe not even going below 0 some nights coming.  It's not the end, but I think I can see it from here!

I'm afraid I may have become North American enough that the snow doesn't quite have the same effect anymore.  What would be really weird now, is to see some rain - haven't seen any of that for 4-5 months....here's hoping! :-)

Peter

July 2013 - June 2014 Stats
Elevation: 1084m
Latitude: 51° 6' N
Warmest Temperature: 32.8c 02/07/13
Coldest Temperature: -30.4c 01/03/14
Days with thunderstorms: 7
Days with rain falling: 35
Days with snow falling: 42
Days with snow lying: 130
Maximum snow depth: 12" (30cm)
Current snow depth 4" (12cm)

Finally it looks as if the worst is over in terms of the frigid winter conditions that have gripped much of central and eastern North America this winter. As Tim says for many it's going to be a long slow process but at least there are some above freezing days on offer and some respite from the seemingly endless cold.

As Peter posted plenty of sun and balmy temps on offer for Calgary and even Winnipeg will see some above zero temps (+4c tomorrow!). Southern Ontario will turn milder for a couple of days before turning very cold again midweek. Although there will be a thaw will it be enough to bring the consecutive days of snow cover record to an end at Pearson?

With Great Lakes ice coverage running above 90% it could be a slow road to warmer temperatures around the lakes even when the snow on the ground has gone. East coast ice coverage is impressive too: http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif

Some stunningly cold temps in Quebec last week: the -45.8c at Le Grand-Quatre on the 4th really stands out.

A major snow storm is going to hit Maine later today and into tomorrow, snow accumulation up to 24 inches! 

http://classic.wunderground.com/US/ME/002.html#WIN

This webcam will be interesting later tomorrow! snow STILL on the ground after the bitter Winter.

http://www.crownofmaine.com/nmain/

Hey folks, hope the weekend is going well for you?

Well, sorry i didn't get the chance to post during the week on the snowstorm that came through here, it was a noteable event for March for a number of reasons including snowdepth from a storm and the fact that Hamilton's Munro Airport recorded an actual blizzard event, the first of this very snowy winter and indeed for the past few winters.

We got 22cm on Wednesday, snowfall rates during the afternoon reached a ratio of 2 inches per hour in a good corridor from here all the way up the QEW to Toronto. T.O. itself though only got a general 11-15cm, Pearson just 11cm. The highest accumulations were in the Hamilton area and a wee portion of the Niagara Peninsula.

About that Blizzard, Environment Canada classifies one where certain criteria are met for 4 straight hours and between 1pm and 5pm on Wednesday afternoon with the wind gusting over 60kph and snowfall rates at a high ratio, this occured. Alot of talk about blizzard conditions in storms, this one truely was!

As was reported earlier in the thread there was traffic and travel chaos. Flights cancelled or delayed at both Pearson and Munro, GO Transit bus schedules were all over the place and train services disrupted while switches were cleared and stations made safe, in this health and safety world we now live in.

Snow melted though during Friday and Saturday as temps reached 3-5c, today its -9c and bitter. Most of the winter snow prior to that snowstorm had melted as we saw borderline Spring temps on Mon and Tue of 8 and 9c. Not sure on the Pearson snow record for continuious snow-on-the-ground, whether it made it thru to Wednesday or not, i do know on Tuesday morning snow was still reported at Pearson.

In the states, snow is forecast for St. Patrick's day in D.C. Meanwhile in the middle of the country the first real storms of the season fired yesterday associated with this frontal system bringing the Mid-Atlantic snows. Large Hail and damaging winds reported in TX & OK.

Toronto FC with Jermaine Defoe started the MLS season last night with a great 2-1 win over in Seattle, big things expected from the side this year, will be interesting if they meet the hype. As Graeme wil know, hype and the Toronto media go hand-in-hand, just ask the Leafs or Jays!

Have a great week folks

This is the current picture in Arlington near Washington DC, that far south still lots of snow accumulating

http://icons.wunderground.com/webcamramdisk/c/h/chunker37/1/current.jpg?1395078156

I've been tracking the New York winter and it has been staggeringly cold there too. New York sits at 40N, on the same latitude as Rome. Currently -5c.

http://wxweb.meteostar.com/sample/sample.shtml?text=KNYC

Its looking like the long brutal NE winter may soon be over. 

Still feet of snow piled up in the state of Maine on 1st link below, with more to come this week on the 2nd link, overall east of the Rockies it's been an epic Winter and early Spring.

http://www.crownofmaine.com/nmain/

http://news.sky.com/story/1231296/weather-bomb-storm-alert-for-northeast-us

Yes it's looking like a heck of a storm for parts of Maine and the Maritimes. Blizzard warnings out from Environment Canada (e.g. http://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?pei2) Wouldn't be surprised if somewhere like Moncton, NB picked up 50cm of snow though measuring depths will be hugely problematic given the windspeeds. This winter just doesn't know when to quit.

Yep, looking bad for Halifax, although I think Charlottetown may be more in the bullseye.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/anderson/blizzard-update/24862907

The end of the blog sums it up.

"This storm will likely be remembered for years."

Safe to say the blizzard is underway in Charlottetown: http://www.gov.pe.ca/islandcam/ 

Halifax looks to be avoiding the brunt of it - at least in terms of snow amounts (10cm of snow/ice pellets) while PEI does indeed seem to be in the bullseye with 30-50cm widely forecast.

Yep, 53cm at Charlottetown: http://weather.gc.ca/warnings/weathersummaries_e.html 

Hi folks,

Milder weather finally on the way for Southern Ontario as March departs after one of the coldest March's for a generation with temps normally found in January appearing. Friday shows highs of 10c/50f and although there will be varients of the milder theme during the next 5 days or so, the general outlook is finally for an end to the prolonged cold, snow on the ground and maybe just a hint of spring.

Some storm off Atlantic Canada bringing whiteout conditions to some locations, this storm also brought power outages to the very far Eastern shores of Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's vineyard along with coastal erosion.

Not long now Graeme to the Jays season opener, going to interesting as ever in April as the season beds in and the odd shock result comes about, would be great to see the team grab the uncertainty and get off to a flyer.

Hope you have a great weekend

Hey folks, looks like its been quiet on here! Weather up in these parts has been fairly quiet all week too as the slow transition from harsh winter to something like spring seems to be taking place, gradually. Temps this week have been on the milder side generally, Hamilton even saw a brief glimpse of 12c on Tuesday before a cold front interupted the fun. All or most of the snow has gone, leaving behind a nasty mess on the grass and roadways in need of major overhaul after the harshest of winters for the GTA in several years.

Official stats for March are in and it was the coldest March in the City of Hamilton since 1960 with an average temperature of -5c. Compare that to February's normal average of -4.5c and January at -5.5c. Winter was a 4 or even 4 and half month event this year, remember back to the crippling Ice storm before xmas? Seems like a lifetime ago . 

Today we are starting with that part of winter that wants to hang around as moisture associated with the large storm system in the plains and Mid-West moves in, falling right now as light freezing drizzle and temps at 0c. These are expected to climb to 10c later before a colder Saturday on tap at just 5c and a hard frost tomorrow night. Rain, 25mm of it expected too, maybe the chance of a Thunderstorm as well embedded in this system. The change to spring is hopefully around the corner.

Decent start for the Jays Graeme, excepting last night's defeat! Next up the Yankees

Have a great weekend everyone

Hey folks, well its quiet on here! Hope all is well in Calgary and Fife for Peter & Graeme?

A very active spell of weather coming up for the GTA as EC document this morning :

9:18 AM EDT Monday 14 April 2014

Special weather statement in effect for:

• City of Hamilton

Winter battles again with spring, as temperatures go up and down like a roller coaster.

The low pressure system that has brought heavy rain to some and twenty degree temperatures to others will bring winter-like weather to most before it exits the province Tuesday afternoon.

It will be a very warm day for some regions today, particularly over Eastern Ontario where temperatures may soar into the mid twenties, with readings near 20 again from near London to the Greater Toronto area.

However, a big change is coming as winter clashes again with spring. Showers, accompanied by occasional wind gusts up to 85 km/h, are moving in from Southwestern Ontario. This will herald an end to the first taste of almost summerlike weather across the regions. The showers will move into Eastern Ontario later this afternoon.

A very sharp Arctic cold front will sweep across Southern Ontario this afternoon then move into Eastern Ontario this evening. Temperatures will plunge quite dramatically as a result, with values dropping to near freezing or a bit below from roughly the Toronto area and west by Tuesday morning.

As a result, showers will begin to change over to a few centimetres of snow from near Georgian Bay to Lake St Clair tonight with the transition zone reaching Eastern Ontario later Tuesday morning. During this transition, there is a risk of a few hours of freezing rain or ice pellets.

In addition, after the changeover to snow, a few centimetres are likely by the time the snow tapers off later on Tuesday. There will be enough snow to whiten the ground in many areas. Temperatures will be sharply colder on Tuesday with afternoon values expected to be near or below freezing as winter pushes spring well to the southeast of the regions.

Motorists should be prepared for a quick return to winter driving conditions, especially in areas that receive a period of heavier snow. Untreated roads and surfaces may quickly become partially to mostly snow covered and slippery.

Latest indications show winter's Victory will be short-lived, as temperatures will moderate back up closer to normal by the end of the week.

We had 22.2c yesterday, our highest since last october, with rain showers so not overly sunny by any stretch still to go from nearly shorts and definately t-shirt weather back into winter gear in 24hrs is extreme for these parts. Temp currently 19c in a shower, will be dramatic to chart the passage of the cold front later, wouldn't rule out some straight-line wind damage in some spots. Whether we see accumulating snow tomorrow i doubt, the ground although colder than normal for mid-April after that fridgid March is warm enough to stop snow i'd think unless we see some heavier accumulations of 2cm per hour or more which isn't forecast.

One last battle for the plants before maybe we put this winter to bed for good!

Take Care

Hi Stewart - I'm fine thanks, been very busy but as always keeping one eye on NA weather. Not least because I'll be over in T.O. in a few weeks to catch a few Blue Jays games. I'm sincerely hoping it has warmed back up by then! This is not baseball weather (decent start to the season for the Jays, much better than last year thus far!)

I can't recall such a cold forecast for mid-April for the Golden Horseshoe...afternoon temps at -1c! Wow. If anything the prospect for accumulating snow (on grassy surfaces at least) has been ramped up: EC and TWC going for 5cm for the Toronto and Hamilton. Currently 1c with light rain in both cities at 2am local time.

Looking forward to a report later, Stewart!