Snow relief for ski area
But cold may be short lived
By SARAH GREEN AND JACK BOLAND, TORONTO SUN
Let it snow.
There was a snow-squall warning for Barrie, Collingwood and other parts of ski country last night, which could bring as much as 15 cm of snow to the winter-starved area.
Environment Canada predicted 10 to 15 cm to fall in the area between last night and tonight.
"There is finally some good news for the beleaguered ski resorts on Tuesday," said the weather warning. "Even colder air will be arriving which should set the stage for a more significant lake effect snow."
The unseasonably warm weather has forced Blue Mountain to close until at least tomorrow, putting 1,300 employees temporarily out of work, and other resorts have been able to open only a handful of runs.
NO ASSISTANCE
Premier Dalton McGuinty says his government is not contemplating any extraordinary assistance for Ontario businesses that rely on snow.
"We certainly hope that Mother Nature comes to the rescue sooner rather than later," McGuinty told reporters yesterday.
"Some industries have suffered as a result of the absence of snow," he said. "And others -- construction in particular -- outdoor work has enjoyed a bit of a boom because temperatures have been above zero and they've been able to complete work that otherwise they would have had to delay."
The wintry weather isn't going to stick around in ski country. Temperatures are expected to jump above 0C by Thursday with a high of 11C forecast for Sunday.
"A week from now or in 10 days it might look like winter," said David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada. "We are getting southernly air, or southern comfort, from Tennessee not cold from Tuktoyaktuk."
Phillips did say when winter comes we will feel its wrath.
BIG SNOW POSSIBLE
"The Great Lakes are warm, open and free of any ice right now. They are like great big hot tubs," said Phillips. "If very cold air passes over them we will have Paul Bunyan-sized snowflakes falling from lake-effect snow."
But until then the unseasonably warm climes will persist, although yesterday's mercury in Toronto hit a high of only 4C by midday.
Phillips said people forget last January was warmer than this year, but winter had already been around for six weeks. Toronto saw 54 cm of snow in November and December, 2005.
Today's weather forecast for Toronto is a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 2C and a 30% chance of flurries late in the day and a 60% chance at night, with a low of -6C.
