Green Vancouver Christmas

Environment Canada released its analysis of the likelihood of a white Christmas this year in the various Canadian cities. The chance of Vancouver having a white Christmas is only 21%. As of now, Metro Vancouver still looks grassy green. Since November, we only had a couple of days of minimal snowfall that melted within a few hours, so it does look like we are going to get a grassy green Christmas this year. Fortunately for the ski lovers, the mountains are still topped with snow.

I am glad that my fear of the cold did not prevent me from migrating here. I have acclimatized better to the cold now. I only need 4 layers on top (thermal top, long-sleeve turtlenecks, cashmere sweater, mid-thigh length down-padded coat) and 3 layers at the bottom (thermal bottom, leggings, jeans) to be toasty warm for temperatures around zero degree Centigrade. From my observation, I am wearing 1 layer more both on top and bottom compared to the typical local here.

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[Extract of the report from The Weather Network]

LIKELIHOOD OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS

Cheryl Santa Maria, staff writer

December 13, 2011 — Environment Canada has analyzed 55 years of weather records and calculated the probability that cities will see a “white Christmas”.

There's a good chance that Goose Bay and Quebec City will wake up to a winter wonderland on Christmas Day - but that might not be the case for other parts of the country.

Environment Canada has analyzed more than five decades' worth of weather data from major centres and calculated the average chance that snow will be present on Christmas Day.

A white Christmas is defined as a snow cover of 2 cm or more on Christmas morning.
The odds have changed over the years; children growing up between 1964 and 1982 were more likely to see white Christmases than their own children are now.

According to EC's predictions, Regina and Winnipeg are in a strong position to have a white Christmas - judging by their probability scores of 89 and 95 per cent, respectively.

There's only a 37 per cent chance that downtown Toronto will have snow, and the ground is almost certain to be green in Vancouver (21 per cent) and Victoria (16 per cent).

Meteorologists at The Weather Network say Canadians could face a similar winter to last year - with the potential for extreme weather resulting from La Niña.

Will your community have a white Christmas?

City - Average chance* of a White Christmas
Yellowknife 100 %
Whitehorse 100 %
Iqaluit 100 %
Kenora 100 %
Goose Bay 100 %
Quebec City 95 %
Winnipeg 95 %
Saskatoon 89 %
Thunder Bay 89 %
Regina 89 %
Edmonton 79 %
Ottawa 79 %
Charlottetown 63 %
Fredericton 58 %
Montreal 68 %
Moncton 63 %
London 63 %
St. John's 63 %
Sarnia 32 %
Sydney 47 %
Saint John 41 %
Kelowna 42 %
Halifax 47 %
Calgary 47 %
Toronto 37 %
Vancouver 21 %
Victoria 16 %

*Average chance: probability of a white Christmas based on past 10 years of data.