Spring-Like Week

     Our intriguing winter continues to intrigue with yet another week of above-normal temperatures and lack of snow pack on tap. It was a wonderful Sunday and Monday with highs between -2°C and 0°C along with light winds. This is much above the normal high of -9°C.

     Even warmer temperatures were felt on Monday to the southwest of the city where snow is almost non-existent, as seen in the visible satellite below. Highs were above zero in many areas, including +4°C in Carman, +3°C in Pilot Mound and 0°C in Brandon.

Dark areas to the southwest of WPG indicate bare ground. White areas in parts
of ND and southeast SK are just cloud. Ground is pretty bare there as well.

     Snow depth at the Brandon Airport today is just 1 cm. Here in Winnipeg, the snow depth is about 6 or 7 cm (measured in Charleswood). For comparison, this is the third lowest snow depth on February 13 since snow depth records began in 1955. First and second place honours for today go to 1991 with 4 cm and 1999 with 6 cm.
    
     What little snow is actually on the ground this week will be slowly melting thanks to mild temperatures which are making it look and feel a lot more like March. At this time of year, we are normally in the dead of winter with our deepest snow depth of the winter. This winter has other plans...

What little winter we had is slowly melting away...  =)

     What a difference a year makes. This day last year, the snow depth was 34 cm. Here's a comparison of pictures I've taken in the same spot comparing last year and this year (not exactly same date, though it gives a good idea).

     This spectacular weather will continue through the rest of the week. Overnight lows will be a little chilly in the minus teens, although daytime highs will be terrific near the freezing mark, and even a little above on some days and in some areas, mainly in areas where snow is almost non-existent. The only downside will be that cloud will begin to move in tomorrow. It wont be perfectly sunny tomorrow or Wednesday; it will be more of a mix of sun and cloud. We may even see a little snow Thursday and Thursday night, though it will be very light with likely just a dusting.

     Temperatures look to cool down by the weekend, although it will likely just be closer to normal. Any cool down will be brief with what appears to be another warm up to start next week.

     In case you were wondering how this winter is doing in the record books so far, here's a glimpse.

     So far (up to Feb 12), this winter's average mean temperature is -10.2°C. If we manage to maintain that average mean, this would be the 5th warmest winter on record since records began in 1873. Of course, it is unlikely we'd maintain that average, athough it is very likely this winter will end up being somewhere between the 4th and 7th warmest on record.

Top 10 warmest winters since 1873
Mean temperature        Year

1.   -7.2°C               1877/1878
2.   -8.2°C               1997/1998
3.   -9.5°C               1986/1987
4.   -10.1°C             1930/1931
5.   -10.8°C             1991/1992 and 2005/2006
7.   -10.9°C             1982/1983
8.   -11.6°C             1999/2000
9.   -11.7°C             1939/1940 and 2001/2002             

    Interesting how 5 of the top 10 warmest winters were in the past 20 years... This year would make that 6.

     In addition, only 48.0 cm of snow has fallen so far this winter, which is well below the normal 75 cm we would have normally seen by now. I am still gathering the stats for least snowy winters, and will likely have those stats by the end of the month.