Canadians are being warned to brace for a winter that will be nasty, brutish and not at all short.
has released its winter forecast, which editor Peter Geiger says is based on mathematical and astronomical formulas.
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e saying for this particular winter is that it鈥檚 just basically going to be very, very cold,鈥� Geiger told CTV News Channel on Tuesday.
The almanac鈥檚 projections call for cold weather in Atlantic Canada and Quebec, 鈥渂iting cold鈥� in Ontario and 鈥渢eeth-chattering cold鈥� across the Prairies. B.C. bucks the trend, with 鈥渢ypical winter temperatures鈥� in the forecast.
Average snowfall is expected in the Prairies, with Ontario and Quebec seeing slightly more than normal levels. B.C. and Atlantic Canada will receive their usual wintry mix of precipitation.
鈥淚 think the worst is going to be the Prairies. We talk about a lot of cold, a lot of snow there,鈥� Geiger said.
On the storm front, Geiger said Central Canada will start to see significant blasts of wintry weather by November, with 鈥渢wo or three big storms that cover a good part of Canada鈥� arriving in December.
鈥淟et鈥檚 hope for a white Christmas 鈥� and then the cold, cold stuff is just going to come and come and come,鈥� he said, adding that the period from Feb. 12 to Feb. 16 would likely be 鈥渢he coldest part of the winter鈥� for many parts of North America, with winter-like temperatures hanging on through March.
The Farmer鈥檚 Almanac is also forecasting an unusually cold winter for most of the United States, with even Texas and Louisiana said to be in line for a 鈥渟tinging cold鈥� compared to their normal conditions.
鈥淵ou cannot escape to Florida. I think we even talk about a frost in April down in Louisiana,鈥� Geiger said.
According to Geiger, the Farmers鈥� Almanac forecast five big storms to hit the U.S. east coast last winter, and its projections were never off by more than two days.
鈥淲e tend to nail the big storms,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople tell us we鈥檙e anywhere from 75 to 85 per cent accurate. That all depends on where you live.鈥�
