KAWARTHA LAKES-Got flannel? Hot chocolate? Snowshoes? If not, you may want to go get some. According to the newly released Farmer’s Almanac extended winter weather forecasts, 2022-2023 will be remembered as a time to shake, shiver, and shovel—a winter season filled with plenty of snow, rain, and mush as well as some record-breaking cold temperatures!
To Shovel Or Not To Shovel?
Based on their extended weather forecasts, the winter season will be quite stormy for most areas. An active storm track will travel across eastern North America, running from the western Gulf of Mexico to the northeast—across the New England region of the US and up into the Maritime Provinces.
This means that places to the south and east of the storm track (the Maritimes) will see a good number of cold rains and storms filled with snow, sleet, ice, and rain. Areas north and west of this active track—Labrador, Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario, and the Great Lakes—will more often-than-not will see winter’s precipitation fall as snow, and sometimes a lot of it.
The Prairie Provinces will be hit the hardest this year with tons of snow in both January and February.
British Columbia should see about average amount of winter precipitation, but with brisk temperatures, skiing should be decent this upcoming season.
Snow Days Ahead!
The last half of January looks quite stormy. A decent amount of snow is expected in Ontario, Quebec (January 20-23) and the Prairie Provinces (January 24-27). In February, especially for Eastern areas, there’s a possible Nor’easter that may drop as much as 30-60 centimeters (12-24 inches) of snow in some areas just after Groundhog’s Day.
Shake & Shiver
The big shake-up this winter season will be frigid temperatures that will flow into many areas—especially across the Rockies and Prairies. During the month of January, Canadians may see one of the coldest arctic outbreaks in recent years.
More Winter Storm Warnings
There will be many significant weather disturbances that will cross the nation, but we are raising “red flags” for the first week of January across the Rockies and Prairies, with the potential of heavy snows, followed by a sweep of bitter cold air according to Almanac officials.
They raise another red flag for January 16-23, 2023, across the eastern two-thirds of the country where our extended forecast points to bouts of heavy snow and rain, followed by what might be one of the coldest outbreaks of arctic air we have seen in many years. How cold? Try 40° below zero (a number that’s the same in Fahrenheit and Celsius).
Finally – after the vernal equinox on March 20, 2023 – when we’re supposedly into spring, expect a lion-like end to March with a wide-variety of weather ranging from heavy snows to torrents of rain to gusty thunderstorms and stormy weather across much of the nation.
A coast-to-coast survey of 1508 Canadians, “2022 weather worries” was commissioned by First Onsite Property Restoration in the spring (to highlight yearlong weather concerns), asked about the year in disasters and how concerned people were about weather-related events.
How concerned are Canadians about the following types of disasters or weather-related events?
| Total | B.C. | Alberta | Sask/MB | Ontario | Quebec | Atlantic | |
| Winter Storms | 67% | 63% | 70% | 77% | 70% | 58% | 70% |
| Earthquakes | 35% | 65% | 20% | 15% | 29% | 46% | 18% |
| Home Fires | 65% | 69% | 68% | 63% | 64% | 66% | 59% |
| Wildfires | 61% | 85% | 75% | 64% | 52% | 59% | 52% |
| Hurricanes or Tropical Storms | 34% | 29% | 17% | 21% | 35% | 37% | 61% |
| Tornadoes or Severe Winds | 58% | 40% | 63% | 67% | 63% | 56% | 51% |
| Severe Rains or Flooding | 66% | 82% | 64% | 66% | 65% | 60% | 70% |
| Personal or Family Safety | 58% | 71% | 55% | 53% | 59% | 55% | 55% |
| My lack of preparedness in the event of a weather event (i.e. whether it’s sufficient or not) | 48% | 60% | 36% | 43% | 47% | 53% | 42% |
| My insurance coverage (i.e. whether it’s sufficient or not) | 55% | 66% | 56% | 55% | 54% | 48% | 55% |
| Cost of major renovations and repairs | 65% | 70% | 62% | 67% | 64% | 65% | 64% |
| Having to leave my home or community | 44% | 58% | 39% | 42% | 45% | 41% | 34% |
Here are some tips for homeowners to protect their property during winter.
Here are some things to consider:
- Avoid frozen pipes and plumbing issues
- Check and inspecting building insulation
- Inspect roof space and clearing debris
- Routinely check property during cold spells
- Moisture and mould buildup
