Dave Rogers
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, February 27, 2002
Even though the skies were cloudy all day, it almost seemed like spring was in the air yesterday as the afternoon high temperature climbed to a record 6.9 C.
According to the weather office, the previous record high for the date was 6.3 C in 2000. The high on Monday reached 8.1 C, just short of the record of 8.2 set in 1998.
The warm weather was part of what has become the warmest winter on record. Environment Canada's senior climatologist, David Phillips, said in late January that this winter has been unusually warm because of last year's warm summer and the "Pineapple Express," a warm westerly wind that has been blowing across the Pacific Ocean for months.
Average winter temperatures until January were five to seven degrees above normal.
A small band of precipitation entered the Ottawa area yesterday afternoon, causing periods of rain and light snow overnight.
The weather is expected to become cooler this evening. Today will be cloudy with a high of -1C and a 30-per-cent chance of flurries. No measurable snowfall is expected.
The low tonight is expected to be -11C under cloudy skies. The normal temperatures for this time of year range from a high of -2 C to to a low of -11.
The warm temperatures this week prompted the National Capital Commission to close the Rideau Canal to skaters yesterday. NCC spokesman Charles Drouin said Canal may reopen by the weekend if temperatures remain cool.
But the Canal has been open for only 19 days this winter. The shortest Canal skating season on record was 39 days in 1970-71. The longest period that the Rideau Canal remained open to skaters was 95 days in 1971-72.
© Copyright 2002 The Ottawa Citizen
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, February 27, 2002
Even though the skies were cloudy all day, it almost seemed like spring was in the air yesterday as the afternoon high temperature climbed to a record 6.9 C.
According to the weather office, the previous record high for the date was 6.3 C in 2000. The high on Monday reached 8.1 C, just short of the record of 8.2 set in 1998.
The warm weather was part of what has become the warmest winter on record. Environment Canada's senior climatologist, David Phillips, said in late January that this winter has been unusually warm because of last year's warm summer and the "Pineapple Express," a warm westerly wind that has been blowing across the Pacific Ocean for months.
Average winter temperatures until January were five to seven degrees above normal.
A small band of precipitation entered the Ottawa area yesterday afternoon, causing periods of rain and light snow overnight.
The weather is expected to become cooler this evening. Today will be cloudy with a high of -1C and a 30-per-cent chance of flurries. No measurable snowfall is expected.
The low tonight is expected to be -11C under cloudy skies. The normal temperatures for this time of year range from a high of -2 C to to a low of -11.
The warm temperatures this week prompted the National Capital Commission to close the Rideau Canal to skaters yesterday. NCC spokesman Charles Drouin said Canal may reopen by the weekend if temperatures remain cool.
But the Canal has been open for only 19 days this winter. The shortest Canal skating season on record was 39 days in 1970-71. The longest period that the Rideau Canal remained open to skaters was 95 days in 1971-72.
© Copyright 2002 The Ottawa Citizen
