Toronto just recorded its cloudiest January in over a decade
You're not imagining it. This January in Toronto was one of the cloudiest on record
If you've been feeling extra sun-starved this winter, you're certainly not alone. Toronto just recorded the cloudiest month in over a decade this past January! It's been 11 years since the city was stuck in such a winter gloom.
DON'T MISS: El Niño and the polar vortex take centre stage for winter’s final chapter
Looking back at the numbers, it's actually quite surprising just how cloudy things have been.
After December's 28 days of cloud and fog, we jumped into a comparable dreary January, counting 26 days of much of the same.
In fact, this past January was the cloudiest month in terms of hourly cloud cover the city has experienced, with data going back to 2013.
This overcast weather is likely contributed to a combination of things including periods of active weather, as well as above normal winter temperatures at times. A zonal jet stream over the Pacific and southern U.S. had consistently flooded the country with mild air. Mild air led to the series of intense fog set-ups, which ended off January.
Driving in fog near Milton, Ont. (Mark Robinson)
MUST SEE: El Niño is hanging strong—but a big change is on the way
The long lost sunshine will finally make its return this weekend and beyond, a drastic but likely celebrated change for many across southern Ontario.
High pressure will dominate the weekend forecast, inhibiting cloud development and clearing out the skies for Saturday, Sunday and beyond. It's been 10 weeks since there have been two sunny weekend days in Toronto, so dig out those sunglasses and get ready for some much needed pleasant outdoor time.
