I have just analyzed the last winter’s climate, taken here as from November to March inclusive. Beginning with November, as compared to the long-term normals for Victoria Airport, conditions were about average and close to the average total precipitation fell.
December followed with slightly milder temperatures and over 40 millimetres greater precipitation than the 1981-2010 averages. January, usually the coldest month in Greater Victoria, was not so in 2021, with mean temperatures slightly more than one degree Celsius milder that the long-term. January’s total precipitation was very close to the average with just over 143 mm falling.
February, as has been quite often the case over the past several years, proved to be the coldest month of the winter, with temperature values 2.5 degrees shy of normal. March continued to be cool, especially in the overnight, as minimums overall were more than 2.5 degrees colder that is the expected, leading to an overall mean temperature value of about one degree below the average.
As to snowfall out at the airport, the overall winter amount was 33 cm, not far off the 39 cm long-term average. Overall, all things considered, the winter of 2020/21 can be considered an average winter, as expected here on the southwest coast of British Columbia. I wonder what the rest of spring season has in store for us?
Rod Chilton
Victoria
