Environment Canada predicts mild winter, more snow in Nov.

With October in the rearview mirror, now it’s time to prepare for whatever winter might have in store for Saskatchewan.

Winter may have held off for Halloween night, but the first few days of November all have snow in the forecast.

The month of October seemed to have a split personality with two weeks of winter-like weather including 50 hours of snow and very cold temperatures at the beginning and a return to summer at the end, according to David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada

“If the whole month had been like the first two weeks it would have been the coldest in 94 years and then all of a sudden it was like nature felt sorry for you,” explained Phillips.

In an interview on the Greg Morgan Morning Show on 980 CJME, Phillips noted the farmers were dealing with particular weather challenges dealing with snow and frozen ground. If the last two weeks of weather had lasted the entire month it would have been the warmest on record. The flip-flop between both extremes created a very average month in terms of weather records.

Phillips said the forecast for the next two weeks shows temperatures staying below freezing throughout the afternoon. However, even with temperatures below zero, the sun can still melt the snow.

“I don’t think the snow you’re going to see over the next couple of days is going to be your white Christmas snow, I’m sure there will be opportunities for it to disappear,” Phillips said.

The models for Environment Canada are showing a warmer than normal November with a bit more snow than average. Phillips said this should be good news after the crop gets in because it will provide much-needed soil moisture for farmers.

“We’re not changing our minds, we still think it will be a milder than normal winter because of El Nino and the Pacific blob,” Phillips said.

While there is a shot of cold Arctic air coming for Saskatchewan, overall he predicts the province will get more Pacific southerly air through the winter.

“There’ll be moments you wish you were somewhere else, but we think the flavour of this season ahead is going to be warmer than normal,” Phillips said.