Be prepared.
That’s the message for British Columbians coming from Environment Canada for this winter.
While this season may be colder than average, Environment Canada Meteorologist Bobby Sekhon tells Vancouver Is AwesomeIn a telephone interview, he stated that every winter has the potential for extreme weather events, regardless how long-term forecasts are.
Sekhon recommends that you constantly check the short term weather forecast. Long-term forecasts do not include sudden temperature changes, such as those caused by frigid arctic winds. Instead, these weather patterns are observed within a week of their arrival in the Lower Mainland.
That said, Metro Vancouverites may want to prepare for below-average temperatures this winter. He explained that the seasonal forecast model “shows a 58 percent probability of below average temperatures.”
But Sekhon cautions that the signal for the cooler temperatures isn’t strong: “You know, that’s obviously to be taken with a grain of salt.”
Metro Vancouver weather forecast for winter 2021/2022
Vancouver’s December average daily temperatures are 3.6 C. It is the coldest month of year. But, as Sekhon points out, the seasonal averages don’t give a full picture of extreme weather events, such as arctic air, heavy rainfall, or snowstorms.
Other weather patterns, such the pineapple expresses in the winter, can bring warm air to the region. As such, the average temperature for the month is a compilation of weather events but doesn’t tell the complete story of extreme weather patterns.
Is there a white Christmas this holiday?
Sekhon is reluctant commenting on precipitation in the longterm forecast, as with any forecast. Although the models indicate temperatures probabilities, it’s impossible to predict when precipitation will occur in a long-term outlook.
But snowstorms, as well as other tempestuous weather events, are always a possibility during winter — even in “raincouver.”