As summer in Kitimat comes to an end, possible cooler than average temperatures are predicted for the approaching winter, weather data suggests.
Last year, Kitimat saw a relatively wet August seeing a damp 225 mm of rainfall, up from the monthly average of 163 mm.
This year, Kitimat received only a trickle of 56 mm, so far in August, with rain forecasted to finish off the month.
Looking forward to the rest of the year, Kitimat may see a colder than average winter, says Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Erven
The latest forecast data, produced Aug. 12, say that there is a possible La Niña emerging that may bring cooler than normal temperatures throughout the winter. However, data suggest that it will be a “rather weak” La Niña, Erven said.
“When we enter La Niña winters, what it does is weigh the odds in favour of cooler than normal conditions,” she said.
What that means is lower elevation areas, especially for coastal areas, may see an increased chance of seeing freezing conditions and even snowfall, Erven said. However, precipitation patterns are not as predictable and accurate as temperature predictions, she added.
Erven said that for the remainder of the season you can expect average conditions for the region well into autumn.