Kenora residents are continuing to shovel themselves out of what has been a very unusual winter.
Environment Canada has confirmed that this winter has brought roughly 20 per cent more snow than the annual average, and this winter season still has about two months to go.
“So far about 206.7 cm of snow, and that would be definitely more than average. The Kenora area to Winnipeg and south have had a lot of snow this wintertime. The average annual snowfall is 164 cm,” said Peter Kimbell, Meteorologist with Environment Canada.
About 39 per cent of the total snow reported in Kenora this winter has come in the month of February, as 79.4 cm has been recorded, which is the total amount of snow that Kenora had seen up to this point last winter.
The average snowfall for the month is 18.6 cm of snow. In the month of February alone, the Kenora area has seen roughly 80 per cent of the total snowfall for all of last winter, with 103 cm recorded in 2021.
With the snow Kenora has seen in February, we’re close to breaking the 105 cm record seen back in 1969 says, Kimbell. He says 1933-34’s winter snowfall record is listed at 303 cm – meaning we’re about 100 cm short.
Kimbell noted this winter’s snowfall numbers rank in the top six for the area, behind winter’s seen in 1916, 1933, 1969, 2003, and 2004.
Looking forward to the forecast, the area will get a little bit of relief from the snow for the next few days, but Kimbell said there is snow expected around February 28, 2022.
Along with the snow the area has seen, Kenora has also seen very unusually cold temperatures as well.
“The mean temperature for Kenora this February is -19.7 degrees, and the normal mean temperature for the month of February is -12 degrees. It’s been way below normal. That was also the case in January,” added Kimbell. “January has a mean temperature of -20, and the normal is -16.”
Moving forward, Kimbell says the Kenora will continue to face extremely cold temperatures. The high for Kenora on Wednesday (February 23, 2022) is listed at -17 degrees, with a low of minus 32 in the evening.