Mild winter on the way, Environment Canada forecasts

After last year's record-breaking cold,Quebecers are in for a mild winter this year, according to Environment Canada meteorologists.

This past November, average temperatures were above average across the entire province, and in some places -- such as in the region of Abitibi-Tmiscaminguein western Quebec the average temperature was more than 4C above normal.

That's a trend that will continue this winter, according to Environment Canada meteorologist Andr Cantin.

"What we're expecting for winter, including January and February, are temperatures that will be above average. All of this is caused by the presence of the El Nio phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, which is very intense this year," Cantin said.

El Nio changes the weather patterns all over the world, and for Canada it has a reputation for bringing milder winters.

"When we have this phenomenon in the Pacific and it's that intense, we generally record winter temperatures in Quebec that are two or three degrees above normal," Cantin said.

That's a drastic changefrom last winter, when plummeting temperatures in February 2015 broke records. That monthwent down as the coldest February on record.

Temperatures were seven or eight degrees below average in Ontario and Quebecsometimes even 10 degrees below average.

• Record cold in February caused by arctic air carried by jet stream
• February as bitterly cold as it seemed in Quebec and Ontario

Quebecers are notthe only ones expected to have a mild winter this year.

Environment Canada said much of the country will experience an above-seasonal temperature trend this winter.

'Fall skiing'

Despite the unusually mild weather so far, many ski resorts in the province are declaring the ski season open.

"We could call it fall skiing," said Charles Desourdy, president of Ski Bromont. Thealpine ski resort located in Bromont, Que., about 80 kilometres east of Montreal, opened for the season Wednesday.

Desourdy said so far, business is going well, but "everybody will get a bit anxious if there's no cold weather for the next two weeks."

At this point, long-range forecasts show above-zero temperatures for the next two weeks.