Climatologist David Phillips explains what the La Nina weather phenomenon could mean for winter in Canada. <\/p>\n
Canada may not have a traditional La Nina<\/a> winter this year again due to factors such as global warming and the \u201cPacific blob,\u201d says a climatologist.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s certainly a hint that we\u2019re going to have a winter, but I don\u2019t think it will be as brutal or strong as it was traditionally back, say 20 or 30 years ago,\u201d David Phillips of Environment and Climate Change Canada said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca from Barrie, Ont., on Tuesday.<\/p>\n He said he is basing his remarks on data, such as ocean temperatures and historic patterns.<\/p>\n La Nina<\/a> is a major climate pattern of unusually cool waters<\/a> near the equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean, according to The Weather Network.<\/p>\n La Nina would typically lead to cooler northerly air in Canada, Phillips said, resulting in a winter that is colder and snowier than normal.<\/p>\n A La Nina winter often means colder conditions in Western Canada, Phillips said. Eastern parts of the country, meanwhile, will usually see a mixed bag of weather, including snow and freezing rain, he added.<\/p>\n Areas along the West Coast and near the Great Lakes would typically have wetter conditions because of La Nina, The Weather Network reported<\/a>. In addition, the Atlantic hurricane season would be more intense, according to the news outlet.<\/p>\n But over the past decade, winters have been milder than usual, even during La Nina events, Phillips said.<\/p>\n Canadian winters<\/a> on average nationwide have been 3.7 C warmer than normal since 1948, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada<\/a>.<\/p>\n Climate change<\/a> has been a major factor behind the weather, Phillips added.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, La Nina<\/a> is currently weak, he said, which means its impact may not be as strong.<\/p>\n