El Nino is here to stay, says an Environment Canada senior research meteorologist.
"This is going to be at least a moderate-strength El Nino and it is expected to go into winter and into spring," said Amir Shabbar. "This is not going to be a weak event."
El Nino started forming in May when equatorial Pacific temperatures were 0.8 C above normal. By October it was 1.5 C above normal. Shabbar said El Nino typically brings a warmer winter to western Canada, with 1-2 C above normal for December through February.
"We would expect more precipitation than normal in early winter and later on it turns into normal to below normal," he said.
Cool temperatures mixed with abundant November precipitation are forcing enthusiastic, early openings at Whistler Blackcomb and Cypress Mountain. The Whistler half reported a mid-mountain base of 95 cm on Thursday and opens two weeks early on Saturday. Cypress Mountain's Easy Rider chair and part of the cross-country area opens Friday. The West Vancouver resort was reporting a 45-cm mid-mountain base yesterday.
