New CBC meteorologist Brennan Allen replaces retired Peter Coade

Brennan Allen was only nine when he figured out how weather patterns could mean an extra day for playing in the snow.

"I was in my grandmother's basement watching The Weather Network when I had an epiphany."

He worked out how certain weather models were used in forecasting snowfalls and a passion for meteorology was born.

It's paid off.

Allen, now 24, has joined CBC as a meteorologist, working out of the Halifax studio.

Big shoes to fill

He replaces Peter Coade who retired in the fall.

"Definitely, I have big shoes to fill. I've looked up to him (Peter Coade)since I was a little boy," says the Cole Harbour native who also has a passion for playing hockey and following politics and current affairs.

A graduate of Prince Andrew High School, Allen went on to Dalhousie University where he studied chemistry and biochemistry. He will continue to go to school full time until April when he will get his meteorology designation.

That means getting up before 4 a.m., getting to the studio in time for his 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. CBC shift and then making it toclassby 9:30 a.m.

He studies a wide range of weather models in order to track a weather patternand issuea weather forecast.

Typical winter ahead

Allen admits it is not an exact science.

"When you're a meteorologist, you have to get used to being wrong," he said.

The shock of Friday's17 Cchillwas made worse by the very mild fall that preceded the December freeze.

"It more or less balances out. 2016 was the warmest year on record," Allen said.

Nova Scotia can look forward to a typical winter, he predicted. Temperatures in January and February will be close to normal while March will be colder than usual.

Snow will be around for Christmas

"But not like the relentless winter of 2014 with ice potholes that wrecked people's tires. That was a one-in-a-100-year event."

There likely will be snow on the ground Christmas Day in Nova Scotia, but as far as snowflakes falling on the big day, not so much.The best bet for that will be in Charlottetown, Allen said.

Snowcan be expectedDec. 23 or Dec. 24, hesaid.