People in Canada, the vast northern country known for its harsh winters and deep snow that can swallow cars, will wake up on Christmas wondering, "Where is the snow?" However, there isn't much to be found. The lands that should be white with frost from coast to coast and from north to south are instead covered in shades of green and brown.
David Phillips, a veteran climatologist at Environment Canada, stated, "I have been tracking the weather for 55 years, and I have never seen a winter like this on the first official day of winter." He highlighted that what we are witnessing this winter is actually a preview of what will become normal decades from now. Laughing, he added, "I believe that if we could postpone Christmas by a month, we would almost guarantee a white Christmas everywhere. But that's not going to happen."
Typically, around 75 percent of Canadians celebrate a white Christmas, characterized by a snow depth of at least two centimeters on the ground, but that figure is now close to zero. Winters are often harsher in inland regions like Alberta, where snow can remain on the ground for five months or more. Temperatures in Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, were high yesterday, reaching seven degrees Celsius compared to minus 28 degrees last year. This should not come as a surprise, as 2023 is set to be one of the hottest years ever.
Another reason for this phenomenon is El Niño, the warm surface water temperature phenomenon in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean that often leads to milder winter temperatures. Canadians love to ask each other, "Is it cold enough for you?" but with rising temperatures, this joke is likely to grow old.
