Much of Saskatchewan expecting a rare brown Christmas

Saskatchewan has beaten the odds, and will likely see a brown Christmas in 2023.

Environment & Climate Change Canada’s senior climatologist David Phillips confirmed the news.

“We can already call it. I mean, rarely do you call it with three to four days to go,” said Phillips. “It’s just no way that you’re going to see a white Christmas.”

When asked what it would take for a white Christmas to happen at this point, Phillips laughed and said it would take a Christmas miracle.

“You’re going to have to do more than dream about a white Christmas – you’re going to have to be begging, hoping and maybe even praying,” said Phillips.

Last year there were 11 centimetres of snow on the ground in both Regina and Saskatoon on Christmas morning.

“You also had fresh snow during the day,” said Phillips, “so it was almost a Christmas-card look to the scene.”

As the holidays approached without snow on the ground, a debate got started on when the brown Christmas took place in the province. Some said it was 1997, while others said it was 2018. Phillips said it was 2018.

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“I have seen a green Christmas in 2018,” said Phillips. “Also, in 2016, there was no snow on the ground.”

For a brown Christmas to be declared, Phillips said there has to be less than two centimetres of snow on the ground, based on official measurements taken at airports.

The climatologist said it feels weird to have Christmas without any snow.

“Snow at Christmas is like turkey, tinsel and toys,” said Phillips.