The next three months in B.C.'s Central Interior should be slightly warmer and drier than usual for that time of year, according to a long-range forecast from The Weather Network.
Temperatures should hover 1.5 to 2 C higher than normal while snowfall should add up to slightly less than the 100 centimetres the region typically gets, TWN meteorologist Brad Rousseau said this week.
The average daytime high for the so-called meteorological winter of December, January and February is -1.5 C. January tends to be the coldest with an average high of -3 C.
"You're still going to see days when it's a little bit warmer than normal, you're still going to have days that are going to be colder than normal but you take the average of all three months and you lean to the warmer side," Rousseau said.
An El Nino, associated with warm ocean water in the central Pacific, and slightly-warmer water in the Gulf of Alaska are the reasons for the prediction.
The season won't start out that way.
"You are going to go through a cold spell to kick off December," Rousseau said. "The cold spell should last until not quite mid month and then you should see a bit more of a warmer trend take hold."
As of Thursday, TWN's 14-day forecast was calling for daytime highs of -6 C on Wednesday and Thursday, rising to freezing by Sunday, Dec. 9.
On balance, skiers should get their runs in - just not all season long.
"This warmer, drier pattern will break down at times and when it does, you'll get your winter systems moving in," Rousseau said. "It should bring in enough cold air that ski regions should do OK in terms of snow. They're going to have their struggles throughout the warmer periods but overall, ski season should be average."
