Indicisive weather

[canadianplant]

So let me tell you a story if the most "anal" winter/spring I can think of.

We had a long summer, and a long fall 2011, coupled with an unusally warm winter (like the majority of us). In mid february, almost half the snow that fell was gone, and there were tree buds swelling (Maples and some birtch). The temps dipped to -25C for a few nights, then temps moderated again, and the melt continued.

THen march came, super warm, then came a massive alberta clipper, which produced lake effect snow. Anywhere between 30 - 10cm fell, depending on your proximity to the lake. The super warm up continued, and for 3 weeks we never say any freeze. The trees budded again, tupils and some early spring flowers started to sprout. My lilacs, Russian Olive, Azalea, Apple, and berry shrubs were ready to go, the ground was thawed and warm to the touch.

Then came yesterday. We finally got the back end of a high, which sucked cold air down, and dropped the low to -6C. Luckily, the dewpoint was -10, and we had a very, very light frost. Everything looked fine yesterday. So great!

THen I see a flash of red on the weather network screen at 10PM: "freezing rain warning for Thunder bay. LLong hours of freezing rain tonight blah blah". So this morning I woke up to NO ice, just a very, very thin coating on some tree limbs. IT just poured like mad last night, and this morning. Less them 2 miles away from the lake, they got an inch of ice. Again, proof that the lake moderates the temps!! The lows are now hovering between -3C for a night, 0C for a night or 2, then back above freezing.

THe amazing thing is, during the temp drop, and days after, we still have not gone below the average low once, as welll as the entire winter( besides one day in Feb (average low was -25C, and it was -28C (coldest temp this winter, at the airport))). Here is the 14 day outlook now (still pretty damn good, im glad we are getting rain, we need it!)

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/fourteenday/caon0688

Everything looks good this morning too. SHould I even worry at this point? lol

[lucky1]

SHould I even worry at this point? lol

Probably better to give thanks...

Seems the only thing constant these days is change.

Barb

[TimMAz6]

those areas which received an inch of ice must have gotten a lot of damage. I hope all that ice melts fast.

[sidpook]

I hear ya, it is insane this year: very unpredictable!