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Dreaming of a white B.C. Christmas? Here害羞草研究所檚 what history tells us

Predictably, Environment Canada says snow is far more likely in Prince George than Victoria
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Children hit the sledding hill off Mills Road in North Saanich near Victoria International Airport after a late-December snowfall in 2021. (Black Press Media file photo)

Phrases like 害羞草研究所渟mells like snow害羞草研究所 are abundant these days, even in B.C.害羞草研究所檚 balmy capital of Victoria where odds are good that Christmas will be green.

Environment and Climate Change Canada forecasts weather seven days out, which means the soonest predictions for Dec. 25 weather will come on Dec. 19.

But for those who can害羞草研究所檛 wait, Environment Canada compiled some statistics, though what a white Christmas is might depend on where you hail from.

Researchers analyzed 67 years of weather records for 45 major centres across Canada and calculated the probability of having a white snow-covered Christmas Day.

In order to present the fun facts, lines were drawn in the snow about what constitutes a 害羞草研究所渨hite Christmas.害羞草研究所 A plain ordinary white Christmas is defined as 2 cm or more snow on the ground as of 7 a.m. EST on Christmas morning. A perfect Christmas entails 2 cm or more on Christmas morning and snow in the air sometime on Dec. 25.

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A white Christmas is highly unlikely in Victoria with a 12 per cent chance according to data accrued over 67 years. Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 odds are even lower at 9 per cent but other parts of the province could see some white stuff. As one might surmise anecdotally, other major B.C. centres with data include Kamloops at 52 per cent, Kelowna at 64 per cent and Prince George at 90 per cent.

The meteorologists even went so far as to delineate change in frequency, divvied up by recent (1997 to 2021) and early (1960 to 害羞草研究所84). Victoria and Vancouver have seen little change in the changes of a white Christmas with zero change for Vancouver and 8 per cent increase in frequency in Victoria.

That害羞草研究所檚 not the same across the country, the change in frequency is markedly decreased for Sarnia, Ont. where it dropped 48 per cent. The chances of a white Christmas in that city over the 67-year period sit at 57 per cent. But the recent odds at 36 and the early odds at 84 per cent show a significant shift, one likely talked about generation to generation.

While the forecast isn害羞草研究所檛 out yet, there are great odds you can send friends and family in Winnipeg a cheery photo of Christmas Day spent on the golf greens. There害羞草研究所檚 a 99 per cent chance they害羞草研究所檙e looking out at snow and even have an 11 per cent chance of a 害羞草研究所減erfect Christmas.害羞草研究所

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The only places pretty much guaranteed a white Christmas based on the Environment Canada stats compiled over 67 years are Iqaluit, Kenora, Ont., Whitehorse and Yellowknife.

If folks are dreaming of a white Christmas in Calgary, Alta., Toronto (GTA), Ont. or Halifax, N.S. they may just keep dreaming. Between the warmer than normal winter and odds at 61 per cent, 51 and 52 respectively.

Predictably, Vancouver and Victoria have experienced similar 害羞草研究所済reen Christmases害羞草研究所 and easily the most in the country with Vancouver one higher at 60 between 1955 and 2021.

Find the full statistics online at .

Email christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca.



Christine van Reeuwyk

About the Author: Christine van Reeuwyk

Longtime journalist with the Greater Victoria news team.
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