Warmest Canadian Winter

Canada has experienced its warmest winter since modern record-keeping began, with average temperatures 3.9 degrees (!!) above normal and all regions of the country basking in abnormal mildness, according to preliminary figures compiled by Environment Canada.

The biggest departure from typical winter weather was in the area where Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories converge. Temperatures there were a staggering eight degrees warmer than normal. But other notable warm spots included the entire Prairie region, where temperatures were five to seven degrees above average, and southern British Columbia.

Not too many urban heat islands "in the area where Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories converge." As the saying goes, I thought these things might be clues. On the plus side, one assumes that use of fossil fuels for home and office heating in winter might be on the downward slide (although summer a/c is a different matter of course).