Snowbirds may be in luck this winter with a favourable forecast
Folks heading south for the winter may encounter dreamy conditions, with a few caveats in spots
Winter’s arrival means that many of our neighbours are departing for sunnier destinations down south. What does this season’s forecast have in store for snowbirds heading to lower latitudes?
Initial signs point toward favourable conditions throughout much of the winter, with a few caveats for some key locations frequented by Canadian travellers.
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Drier and sunnier than normal
Winter is on track to deliver plenty of cold and snow across Canada, especially early in the season as we feel the influence of the polar vortex.
The prospect of frigid conditions is unwelcome news for folks who aren’t fond of quintessential Canadian winter weather, prompting many to head south for the season.
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Whether it’s a vacation to the Caribbean or a lengthy sojourn to the Sunshine State, the next couple of months may hold good fortune for those gazing toward the southern horizon amid falling temperatures at home.
Above-seasonal temperatures are expected throughout the southern United States this season, which is a hallmark of winters influenced by La Niña, as well as warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures throughout the Gulf, Caribbean, and Atlantic.
That doesn’t mean the region is immune from wintry weather. Surges of Arctic air may reach all the way to the Gulf of Mexico through the first half of the winter season.
It’s not unprecedented for temperatures in the single digits to reach all the way to southern Florida during the most intense Arctic intrusions. The northern reaches of the state saw a historic snowstorm just this past January.
What about tropical destinations farther south?
Vacationers heading to places like Mexico and the Caribbean will find gorgeous weather more often than not thanks to an overall setup which favours drier-than-normal conditions.
Communities across the Caribbean and Gulf regions can expect about six hours of sunshine on an average day, with only a handful of rainy days per month. Even nicer conditions are likely toward southern Mexico—think destinations like Acapulco—where visitors may enjoy as many as nine hours of daily sunshine with hardly any rainy days per month.
Header image courtesy of Unsplash.