Warmest winter ever: Canada's record season reaches new heights
The numbers are in: Canada officially experienced its warmest winter in history. We uncover all of the details and statistics that made it such an unprecedented season.
Well, the verdict is in. Canada has recorded its warmest winter on record.
We knew there was going to be a possibility of that happening, given all of the shocking twists and oddities that have occurred this season.
Here’s what you need to know.
The strongest temperature anomalies across Manitoba and Ontario pushed Canada to new heights in terms of the warmest winter temperatures on record – 1.3°C warmer than the previous warmest winter.
An extensive re-analysis dataset highlights the mean winter temperature anomalies across Canada since 1850-51:
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A massive range in temperatures occurred as we recently recapped the biggest winter events across Canada. Alberta and the Yukon bottomed out at an extreme -51.5°C.
On the flip side, the warmest recorded winter temperature went to Windsor, Ont., at a whopping 23°C:
Not far behind was Maple Creek, Sask., which recorded a 21.1°C on Jan. 30, just a couple of weeks after the extreme cold snap across B.C. and Alberta.
Canada-wide, it was the warmth that stole the show. After checking stations across Canada, the only below-normal winter occurred in Old Crow, Yukon, at -28.1°C.
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Locations like Cambridge Bay, Nvt., recorded its warmest winter, as did numerous weather stations across Manitoba and northern Ontario:
Farther east, Pearson International Airport had a mean temperature above freezing this winter for the first time on record at 0.3°C.
The Maritime provinces also recorded some of their warmest winters on record, but oddly enough, Halifax had a milder winter last year than the 2023-24 season.
Both Moncton and Fredericton recorded their warmest winters in recorded history:
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Seasonal snowfall was very boom or bust, depending on which side of the country you reside in.
It’s highly unusual to experience a winter where Toronto, Ont., and Vancouver, B.C., record similar snowfall totals. So it's noteworthy to compare.
Atlantic Canada also recorded epic amounts of snow late-winter to push Halifax to 147 per cent of normal snowfall by the end of February.
