From: larris@igc.apc.org (Lelani Arris)
Newsgroups: sci.geo.meteorology
Subject: Climatic Perspectives V15 #2 Jan 4-
Date: 21 Jan 93 16:48:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1466900287:000:19537
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!larris    Jan 21 08:48:00 1993


From: Lelani Arris <larris>
Subject: Climatic Perspectives V15 #2 Jan 4-10


================================================================
      CLIMATIC PERSPECTIVES - PERSPECTIVES CLIMATIQUES
================================================================
Jan 4 to Jan 10 1993                     du 4 au 10 janvier 1993
Vol 15 No. 02                                        Vol 15 N 02
----------------------------------------------------------------

Managing editor:       A.Saulesleja          Editeur responsable

Editors: English       Andrew Radomski       Redacteurs: Anglais

       : French        Alain Caillet                  : Francais

Forecasts:             Aaron Gergye                   Previsions

Data manager:          M. Skarpathiotakis                Donnees

Computer support:      Robert Eals                  Informatique


CLIMATIC PERSPECTIVES is a weekly publication (disponible aussi
en franais) of the Canadian Climate Centre, Atmospheric
Environment Service, 4905 Dufferin St., Downsview Ontario,
Canada - M3H 5T4 - Tel.(416) 739-4438/4436

The purpose of the publication is to make topical information
available to the public concerning the Canadian Climate and its
socio-economic impact.

The data in this publication are based on unverified reports
from approximately 225 Canadian synoptic weather stations. 
Information concerning climatic impacts is gathered from AES
contacts with the public and from the media.  Articles do not
necessarily reflect the views of the Atmospheric Environment
Service.

PERSPECTIVES CLIMATIQUES est un hebdomadaire (available also in
English) du Centre canadien de climatologie, Service de
l'environnement atmosphrique, 4905 rue Dufferin Downsview
(Ont.), Canada M3H 5T4 - Tel.  (416) 739-4438/4440

Cette publication a pour but d'informer le public sur
l'actualit climatique canadienne et ses consquences
socio-conomiques.

Les donnes publies dans ce bulletin sont extraites des
observations non vrifies qui nous parviennent d'environ 225
stations synoptiques canadiennes.  L'information concernant les
impacts est obtenue par contacts entre le SEA et le public et
les mdias.  Les articles ne rfl
tent pas ncessairement
l'opinion du Service de l'environnement atmosphrique.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Western Canada... Arctic chill continues

"In with the new and out with the old".  Even though the new
year brought in a slight temperature reprieve for residents of
western Canada, the influence of a persistent Arctic air mass
continued to be felt as near record low temperatures were
recorded.  In contrast however, a milder Pacific air mass
infiltrated the higher latitudes of the western Arctic,
providing a pleasant change from the usual barrage of bitterly
cold weather.  In British Colombia a persistent cold spell,
along with much ice and snow, forced some logging operations to
shut down.  On the lower Fraser River logs iced-up and
operations generally slowed down.  Sub-freezing temperatures
persisted since Christmas Day.  Southern parts of the interior,
such as Kamloops, have reported temperatures of -2 C almost
every day.  In addition, Vancouver has had measurable snow on
the ground for 14 consecutive days - their fifth longest stretch
on record.  Even balmy Victoria did not escape the cold
temperatures, as snow cover persisted into its third week.  To
the delight of many, the local ponds froze over making outdoor
skating events a big hit.  Not so popular however, with many
home owners, was the high incidence of frozen water pipes. 
These were insufficiently protected from nighttime temperatures
near -7.4 C.  Needless to say, wood piles were depleted at a
rapid rate.  In the coastal valleys, outflow winds of Arctic air
produced clear blue skies but the cold air and strong winds
generated dangerous wind chills of -50 C.  In the interior,
these strong winds helped set off avalanches, closing some
passes.  In the valley horticultural districts there was
considerable stress on fruit trees from deep freeze.  On the
Prairies, an Arctic high pressure ridge dominated the weather. 
Light snowfalls were reported at the end of the period as the
cold air re-established itself, causing minimum temperatures to
drop as low as -37 C at Edmonton.

Warm in the Northwest A record warm Pacific air mass penetrated
into the Yukon and Mackenzie Valley region, and the mercury
climbed above zero.  Although the warmth was welcome, residents
in some communities became concerned about food supplies stored
in unrefrigerated buildings.  The warm weather was accompanied
by strong southwest winds and blowing and drifting snow which
forced the closure of some roads.

Rain drenches Ontario and Quebec A storm, emerging from the
American southwest, brought heavy rain across southern and
south-central Ontario on January 4.  Accompanying this storm,
record warm temperatures pushed the mercury up to 12.2 C at
Toronto.  Many local creeks and streams overflowed as rainfall,
totalling 50 mm, could not be soaked into the frozen or already
saturated ground.  This was of particular concern in the
Trent-Severn Waterway area where residents were alerted to watch
for local flooding.  The storm passed into Quebec, producing
record warm temperatures and rainfalls of up to 55 mm in the St. 
Lawrence Valley.  This caused some unexpected ice break-up and
jamming, prompting some hasty evacuations.

Unusual iceberg sighting Over the Christmas holidays, a large,
two pinnacle iceberg was sighted drifting eastwards across the
mouth of Conception Bay, Nfld.  The iceberg's mass was estimated
between one to two million tonnes.  There were at least two
other sightings of icebergs last month.  Although iceberg
sightings in the late spring and early summer are not unusual
local residents can not recall ever seeing icebergs at this time
of year.  The origin of the iceberg is probably from the
northwest coast of Greenland.

A look ahead...  For the week of January 18, above-normal
temperatures are expected across Ontario and the western half of
Quebec.  Elsewhere below-normal temperatures will prevail.

----------------------------------------------------------------

 Froid arctique dans l'ouest

L'ancien c
de le pas au nouveau.  Mme si la nouvelle anne a
apport un lger redressement de temprature dans l'ouest du
Canada, l'influence d'une masse persistante d'air arctique a
continu de se manifester, quand on a enregistr des minimums
presque absolus de temprature.  En revanche, une masse d'air du
Pacifique, bien plus douce, s'est infiltre aux latitudes plus
leves, en engendrant un agrable changement par rapport 
l'usuel temps glacial.

En Colombie-Britannique, une priode persistante de froid, qui a
engendr beaucoup de glace et de neige, a entran la fermeture
d'exploitations foresti
res, tandis que dans le cours infrieur
du Fraser, nombre de probl
mes sont survenus du fait de rondins
pris dans la glace et les travaux ont ralenti.  Les tempratures
ngatives ont persist depuis le jour de No	l et, pendant la
priode vise, les parties sud de l'intrieur, comme Kamloops,
ont signal des tempratures de -20 C presque tous les jours. 
En outre,  Vancouver, il y a eu de la neige mesurable pendant
14 jours de suite d'o, en dure, la 5eme priode aussi longue
des relevs.  Mme dans la douce ville de Victoria, le froid a
pendant plus de deux semaines maintenu un manteau de neige.  Au
grand plaisir de bien des gens, les tangs locaux ont gel, d'o
d'excellentes sances de patinage en plein air.  Mais les
nombreux cas de gel de tuyauteries d'eau, mal protges contre
des tempratures nocturnes voisines de -7,4 C, n'ont gu
re plu
aux propritaires fonciers.  Et ...  les rserves de bois
s'puisent vite!

Dans les valles cti
res, l'expulsion d'air arctique a engendr
un ciel bleu et dgag, mais l'air vif et les vents forts ont
donn lieu  des tempratures dangereusement basses, la froideur
du vent tant de -50 C.  Dans l'intrieur, ces vents ont
dclench des avalanches et caus la fermeture de certains cols. 
Dans les rgions horticoles des valles, le grand gel a beaucoup
prouv les arbres fruitiers.

Dans les Prairies, une crte de haute pression de l'Arctique a
continu de dominer le temps.  En dpit des lg
res chutes de
neige signales vers la fin de la priode, l'air froid s'est
rtabli, d'o des minimums tombant jusqu' -37 C  Edmonton.

 Temps chaud dans le Nord-Ouest

Une masse d'air chaud record du Pacifique a pntr dans le
Yukon et dans la rgion de la valle du Mackenzie, la
temprature montant au-dessus de 0 C.  Les habitants de
certaines localits craignent que les denres alimentaires
entreposes dans les btiments non rfrigrs ne s'abment.  Le
temps chaud s'est accompagn de forts vents du sud-ouest et
d'une poudrerie haute et basse qui ont forc la fermeture de
certaines routes.

 La pluie dtrempe l'Ontario et le Qubec

Le 4 janvier, un orage provenant du Sud-Ouest amricain a
apport de grosses pluies dans tout le sud et le centre sud de
l'Ontario.  Cette tempte s'est accompagne de maximums absolus
de temprature, Toronto enregistrant jusqu' 12,2 C.  Nombre de
ruisseaux locaux ont dbord, des prcipitations atteignant 50
mm ne pouvant pntrer dans le sol dj satur.  La situation a
t particuli
rement proccupante dans la rgion de la voie
fluviale de Trent-Severn, o l'on avertit les habitants de se
prparer  affronter des inondations.  La tempte est passe au
Qubec, o des maximums absolus et des pluies atteignant jusqu'
55 mm dans la valle du Saint-Laurent ont caus une embcle
inattendue des glaces, d'o d'htives vacuations.

 Observation inusuelle d'un iceberg 

Pendant les ftes de No	l, on a observ un iceberg  deux
pinacles qui drivait en direction est dans l'embouchure de la
baie de la Conception (T.-N.) On a estim que la masse de
l'iceberg se situait entre un et deux millions de tonnes.  Le
mois prcdent, on avait effectu deux autres observations de ce
genre.  Il n'est pas rare d'observer des icebergs  la fin du
printemps et au dbut de l't, mais les habitants de l'endroit
ne se souviennent pas d'avoir vu un iceberg  cette priode de
l'anne.  L'iceberg provient sans doute de la cte nord-ouest du
Gro	nland.

 Le temps qu'il fera ...

Pour la semaine du 18 janvier, on s'attend  des tempratures
suprieures  la normale dans l'ensemble de l'Ontario et de la
moiti ouest du Qubec.  Ailleurs, les tempratures seront
gnralement infrieures  la normale.  

----------------------------------------------------------------

WEEKLY NORMAL TEMPERATURES HEBDOMADAIRES NORMALES (C)

                            max.   min.

Whitehorse A               -12.5  -21.2
Iqaluit A                  -18.7  -26.8
Yellowknife A              -21.4  -29.5
Vancouver Int'l A            4.9   -0.6
Victoria Int'l A             5.6   -0.2
Calgary Int'l A             -3.1  -14.8
Edmonton Int'l A            -8.6  -19.4
Regina A                   -10.2  -21.1
Saskatoon A                -11.7  -21.9
Winnipeg Int'l A           -11.9  -21.3
Ottawa Int'l A              -5.5  -14.0
Toronto (Pearson Int'l A)   -1.0   -8.9
Montral Int'l A            -5.0  -13.5
Qubec A                    -6.6  -15.2
Fredericton A               -2.9  -13.0
Saint John A                -1.7  -11.3
Halifax (Shearwater)         0.9   -6.7
Charlottetown A             -1.9   -9.4
Goose A                    -10.1  -19.1
St John's A                  0.6   -5.4
  
For the week starting
Pour la semaine debutant le: 1992, 12, 28


WEEKLY STATISTICS AT STATIONS ACROSS CANADA
STATISTIQUES HEBDOMADAIRES AUX STATIONS CANADIENNES

Stations                    Temperature          Pcpn    Wind max
                         mean anom  max   min   tot snw   dir vel

British Columbia
Blue River A             -21P  -9P  -13P  -42P   0P ***         X
Cape St James            *    *     *     *    *    ***         X
Cranbrook A              -20   -8   -14   -27   13   34         X
Fort Nelson A            -31  -10   -13   -44    1   35         X
Fort St John A           -31  -17   -11   -44    3   28         X
Kamloops A               -17  -11   -10   -25   15   19  270   52
Penticton A              -12   -9    -7   -14    4    9  180   48
Port Hardy A              -1   -3     3    -4    2    3  100   78
Prince George A          -24  -13    -8   -34   17   44  040   56
Prince Rupert A           -7   -6     2   -13   12    7  150   33
Smithers A               -25  -15   -11   -35    7   38         X
Vancouver Int'l A         -4   -7     2   -11   23   14  080   33
Victoria Int'l A          -1   -4     5    -5   32   14  060   61
Williams Lake A          -23  -13    -9   -33   19   71         X

Yukon Territory
Komakuk Beach A          -13   10    -2   -28    2   18         X
Teslin (aut)             -32  *     -12   -47    0  ***         X
Watson Lake A            -38  -14   -15   -53    3   46         X
Whitehorse A             -27  -10   -10   -45    5   23  340   61

Northwest Territories
Alert                    -30    1   -15   -40    1  ***         X
Baker Lake A             -26    5   -13   -37    5   69  320   87
Cambridge Bay A          -26    7   -15   -36    6   50  270   65
Cape Dyer A              -31  -10   -21   -40    1  105  290   48
Clyde A                  -30   -5   -20   -38    1   49  310   65
Coppermine A             -18    8    -7   -33    2   68  330   76
Coral Harbour A          -28   -1   -17   -45    3   17  290   59
Eureka                   -33    3   -21   -43    2   13         X
Fort Smith A             -26   -3   -11   -39    1   28  320   39
Hall Beach A             -30   -1   -18   -41    1   44  110   41
Inuvik A                 -14   14    -1   -30    2   52  300   48
Iqaluit A                -32   -9   -16   -40    5   20  330   56
Mould Bay A              -27    6   -14   -38    1   22         X
Norman Wells A           -21    5    -5   -39    4   26  300   76
Resolute A               -30    1   -17   -41    4   16  340   56
Yellowknife A            -24    1   -10   -39    1   19  330   65

Alberta
Calgary Int'l A          -24  -15    -8   -35    5    9  350   41
Cold Lake A              -31  -15   -11   -44    5   29         X
Edmonton Namao A         -26  -14   -10   -37    2   20         X
Fort McMurray A          -29  -10   -10   -42    2   22         X
High Level A             -30  -11   -12   -43    1   11  330   39
Jasper                   *    *      -8   *    *     16         X
Lethbridge A             -25  -17    -4   -36    6   12  250   39
Medicine Hat A           -27  -17   -11   -36    6   10         X
Peace River A            -32  -16   -10   -46    0   22  340   32

Saskatchewan
Cree Lake                -29  -10   -11   -42    1   23  340   44
Estevan A                -26  -12   -16   -36    8   13  100   44
La Ronge A               -28   -9   -12   -40    4   36         X
Regina A                 -28  -12   -15   -39    3  ***  130   48
Saskatoon A              -31  -14   -16   -43    9   26         X
Swift Current A          -28  -16   -14   -40   12   20  270   59
Yorkton A                -28  -11   -14   -40    4   32         X

Manitoba
Brandon A                -27  -10   -14   -38    4   29  290   41
Churchill A              -26   -1   -13   -36    4   16  310   54
Lynn Lake A              -28   -7   -12   -41    4   30         X
The Pas A                -27   -7   -12   -39    6   22         X
Thompson A               -29   -6   -14   -41    2   22         X
Winnipeg Int'l A         -24   -7    -8   -34    4   38  010   44

Ontario
Gore Bay A                -5    3     4   -20   20   18  180   56
Kapuskasing A            -18   -1     0   -28   26   70  180   33
Kenora A                 -22   -5    -7   -32   15   56  170   35
London A                   1    6    11   -10   61    4  290   57
Moosonee                 -20   -1    -1   -34    4   38  270   35
North Bay A               -9    2     4   -25   19   18  210   37
Ottawa Int'l A            -8    2     3   -17   19    9  290   37
Petawawa A                -9    3     1   -25   12   13  300   39
Pickle Lake              -23   -3    -7   -34    5   30  250   35
Red Lake A               -24   -5    -8   -32   10   65         X
Sudbury A                -11    1     2   -26   26   56  030   44
Thunder Bay A            -16   -2    -1   -26   18   53  200   32
Timmins A                -16    1     0   -28   27   73  310   37
Toronto(Pearson Int'l A)   0    5     8    -9   25    4  310  52
Trenton A                 -3    4     5   -13   24    8  280   70
Wiarton A                 -1    4     8   -14   22    7  220   46
Windsor A                  2    5    13    -8   44    3  310   39

Qubec
Bagotville A             -14    0    -4   -27   23   27  270   39
Blanc Sablon A           -23P *     -12P  -31P   3P  25  290   48
Inukjuak A               -24   -3   -10   -30    3   16         X
Kuujjuaq A               -26   -5    -9   -35    5   25  240   57
Kuujjuarapik A           -24P  -4P   -5P  -36P  11P  16  130   63
Maniwaki                 *    *       1   *    *     24         X
Mont Joli A              -11   -1    -2   -20   13   21  320   52
Montral Int'l A          -8    1     0   -17   14    5  280  43
Natashquan A             -20  -10    -5   -30    6   25  210   44
Qubec A                 -11    0    -3   -24   20   23  070   57
Schefferville A          -28   -7   -12   -39    4   44  230   57
Sept-<206>les A          -18   -6   -11   -28   11   22  320   41
Sherbrooke A              -7    4     1   -22   26    6  270   50
Val-d'Or A               -15    1    -1   -25   22   34  160   43

New Brunswick
Fredericton A             -8    0     1   -20   26   26  300   56
Miscou Island (aut)       -8   -2    -2   -15   12  ***       
Moncton A                 -9   -2     2   -22   28   27  290   43
Saint John A              -7    0     4   -21   20   17  310   69

Nova Scotia
Greenwood A               -5   -1     4   -18   21    9  290   63
Shearwater A              -5   -2     3   -16   30    3  290   57
Sydney A                  -6   -3     3   -15   41   28  320   54
Yarmouth A                -2    0     6   -13   26    5  340   65

Prince Edward Island
Charlottetown A           -7   -2     1   -17   36   42  310   56
East Point (auto)         -5P *       2P  -15P  15P ***       

Newfoundland
Cartwright               -22  -11   -15   -30    0  ***  210   65
Churchill Falls A        -27  -10   -12   -37    2   60  270   41
Gander Int'l A           -14   -9     0   -21    8   41  280   85
Goose A                  -23   -8   -13   -30    1   13  280   44
St John's A              -10   -8     2   -16   18   30  290   69
St Lawrence               -9   -8     3   -20   19   26         X
Wabush Lake A            -27   -7   -11   -40    6   41  270   46

Period(e) of/d' observation: 92/12/28-93/01/03

----------------------------------------------------------------
LEGEND/LEGENDE:
mean=temperature weekly mean/moyenne hebdo.             (deg. C)
anom=temperature mean anomaly/anomalie moyenne          (deg. C)
max =temperature weekly max./max. hebdomadaire          (deg. C)
min =temperature weekly mean/min. hebdomadaire          (deg. C)
tot =precipitation weekly total/cumul. hebdo                (mm)
snw =snow/neige ground thickness/epaisseure au sol          (cm)
dir =direction  wind max/vent max         (deg. wr to N/pr au N)
vel =wind speed/vitesse du vent                           (km/h)
Annotations:
X   =no observation/pas d'observation
P   =less than 7 days of data/moins de 7 jours de donnees
*   =missing data/donnee manquante
================================================================