Some Moderation But Still Below Normal Prairie Temperatures in March

Temperatures across much of the Canadian Prairies for the remainder of February are likely to remain below normal, but with some moderation in March.

Most of January and February have been highlighted by temperatures well below normal, with wind chills making it feel like -30 degrees C or colder on many days.

Scott Kehler, chief scientist for Weatherlogics in Winnipeg said he expects March to be milder than the last couple of months, but with daytime highs still slightly below normal. That means snow is likely to remain on the ground for at least the next couple of weeks, he said, adding the continuation of the cold pattern could mean the snow sticks around until April.

Bruce Burnett, Director of Markets and Weather for MarketsFarm, noted snowfall across the Prairies has been variable. A large swath across the region has seen snowfall close to normal, but there is a large pocket in the southern half of Alberta that has received much less than normal.

In contrast, Burnett said numerous small pockets have experienced above normal snowfall, with Winnipeg and the surrounding area being one of them. Other locales with more snow than usual can be found well north of Saskatoon and Edmonton.