Not much snow this winter, so far

This winter hasn't been the best for building snow forts in the backyard.

Islanders who like to play in the snow have been spoiled the last few years, with above average snowfalls since the winter of 2013-14, but so far this year they seem to be paying for their good fortune.

Only in January was something close to average monthly snowfall measured at Charlottetown Airport, and even in that month there were only eight days with more than 10 centimetres of snow on the ground. As of the end of February, snowfall for this winter was less than half the average.

P.E.I. meteorologist Kalin Mitchell said the winter so far has come down to two general factors: the position of the jet stream and the track low pressure systems generally took.

The jet stream which acts as a basic boundary between cold, northern air and milder, southern air has been on a more northerly course. P.E.I. has been mostly south of it this year.

Similarly, this year's low-pressure systems, which are responsible for most of the rain and snow, have been on a more northerly track, leaving P.E.I. in the path of the southern half of them.

"P.E.I. and Nova Scotia ended up on the mild, rainy side of many of these systems this past winter," Mitchell said.

"Central, western and northern New Brunswick actually saw near and in some cases above normal snowfall this year."

Still time for winter

But as Islanders know, this can change quickly. On Jan. 26, 2015, there was no snow on the ground, and in the following two months about four metres fell.

And there is snow in the forecast.

Charlottetown Airport records an average of 44 centimetres of snow in March, and even April averages 24. If you are looking to frolic in the snow, there is time yet.

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