By Lisa Schick

A chilly spring for Prince Albert

Mar 23, 2011 | 6:46 AM

The spring months are going to be chilly this year.

Current temperatures are almost ten degrees lower than the average for this time of year and Environment Canada is saying things won’t be getting better until May.

David Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment Canada, said Prince Albert should be seeing highs of 2 C, but the actual highs we are getting are around the –7 C and –4 C range.

“Last year we had one of the earliest, warmest springs on record in western Canada. This year it doesn’t seem to be — spring’s going to take its sweet time to come,” Phillips said.

One of the key components of spring temperatures is how much snow is on the ground because warming of the air can’t occur if there is snow and ice around, and, according to Phillips, Prince Albert got 15 per cent more snow than normal, so spring-like temperatures are far off.

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The city can look forward to more snow in April, but Phillips said it will be short-lived snow — there one day and gone the next.

In April the days are longer so there will be melting temperatures during the day and temperatures hovering around freezing at night, he said.

“Almost like death and taxes it’s guaranteed you’re going to see more snow before it’s all out.”

But Environment Canada’s early models suggest the chilly spring will turn into a hot summer.

“All indications are now that the effects of La Niña, which has brought us this tough winter, will be over and lingering on to spring … but I think nature may make-up for it in the summer,” Phillips said.

Last year’s summer was cold and wet, but Phillips said everyone hopes for a better one this year, “if anybody deserves good weather, it’s the people in Saskatchewan.”

lschick@panow.com