From floods to snowstorms, blame La Nina
A parked car is buried in snow following a winter storm in Toronto last week. (Darren Calabrese/THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO)
If you think this year’s winter is a bit harsher than those in your recent memory, blame La Nina.
Environment Canada says the weather phenomenon has been wreaking havoc around the globe — and having an effect here at home.
“We’ve already had more snow this winter as we had all winter last year,” said David Phillips, senior climatologist.
La Nina, which Phillips describes as “the nasty sister of El Nino,” is the result of the cooling of the Pacific Ocean along the equator and the subsequent changing of wind patterns.
For Canada, this generally leads to colder and longer winters as systems come in from the northern air masses, although Ontario is not usually affected as much as the western provinces.
“What we see is more cold spells and a bit more snow, but it varies,” said Phillips. According to Phillips, the winter may even be a little longer than the last, with the possibility of snow into April.
“It is good for skiers, not good for people who want to save money on their home heating bills,” said Phillips.
La Nina tends to come every three to seven years; scientists are never able to predict its arrival, only what may happen once it’s here.
“It affects the weather around the globe,” said Phillips. “Some of the floods in Brazil, Sri Lanka and Australia are directly related to La Nina.”
Raging floodwaters have swamped thousands of homes and businesses in Queensland, leaving at least 25 people dead and dozens more missing since late November. Rail lines and highways have been washed away in what is shaping up to become Australia's costliest natural disaster.
The flooding follows a spate of severe natural disasters in the past year. While the most deadly was Haiti's earthquake, extreme weather also killed thousands of people across the globe, including a scorching heat wave that choked Russia in the summer and devastating floods that engulfed more than 150,000 square kilometres in Pakistan.
The effects of La Nina can last anywhere from six months to 18 months. El Nino, on the other hand, is the result of temperatures rising in Pacific Ocean along South America, and brings Canada much shorter and warmer winters like that of last year.
“What’s been unusual this year is that it went from El Nino to La Nina almost overnight,” said Phillips, explaining that there is usually a transition period of neutral ocean temperatures between the two.
With files from The Associated Press
This aerial photograph shows residential suburbs inundated as flood waters devastate much of Brisbane on Jan. 13, 2011.(TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP/Getty Images)
Believe it or not some Canadians actually enjoy the snow and winter, we couldn't snowboard with out it. For those that constantly complain about the cold and snow year after year after year perhaps you can:
A) Take up a hobby besides posting negative comments on TheStar.ca
B) Move to a warmer country during the winter
C) Don't immigrate to our country in the first place, but if you must then please learn how to drive when there is 0.5cm on the ground.....
Posted by: Anthony | 01/14/2011 at 02:02 PM
These recent winters have not been harsh at all. Anyone that has lived in Toronto over the past 50 years can tell you what it used to be like. We had two weeks, every winter where we went in the deep freeze and saw the temps go to -40 on either scale. Snow banks higher than grade schoolers, and school closure days. In my opinion while the snow is a little more than what was in the past couple of winters, this is nothing compared to what we used to get in Toronto.
Posted by: Kirk | 01/14/2011 at 02:07 PM
And yet, here in Montreal, we're having warmer than normal temperatures, and we have hardly any snow on the ground since it rained a few weeks back.
Posted by: Adam in Montreal | 01/14/2011 at 02:16 PM
Can't predict? Well...
Anyone can go to:
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/soihtm1.shtml
and see the 135 years of data for the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), which is how El Niños and La Niñas are "measured". Positive usually points to La Niñas, negative to El Niños.
July 2010 was the 6th highest measure in July for 135 years, followed by August (4th highest August), September (2nd), October (1st), November (10th) and December (1st or 6th ALL TIME highest). Wouldn't take much to predict SOMETHING was coming.
I read about the oncoming La Niñas on a so-called "skeptic" blog, Watts Up With That...back on October 11th.
Posted by: CaligulaJones | 01/14/2011 at 02:50 PM
looking at that picture of the flooding it's amazing to see how many houses are so close to where the flood waters ended. they may have gotten a little in their basements, but nothing to compared to the damage to their neighbor's houses whose homes arent more then a stones throw away.
Posted by: ang | 01/14/2011 at 04:01 PM
Ya know Mr. Philips, it might be better if you just keep yer comments to yerself. Why make them public all the time? The weather will do what the weather wants and you're no better at predicting anything than i am. Let's face it, there will be floods, it will snow and rain, these things just happen. Just go away and admit you have no idea what will come in the future or why.....
Posted by: Oldfart | 01/14/2011 at 08:16 PM
Remember, it's summer in Australia.
Posted by: Skinny Dipper | 01/14/2011 at 09:32 PM
Crank up the windmills Dalton, we need electrically- powered heat:
http://windconcernsontario.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/wind-power-makes-no-economic-sense/
Posted by: AFK | 01/15/2011 at 05:48 PM