Has fall felt warmer than usual to you so far? It鈥檚 not an illusion.

鈥淚t should have been colder already, and we know we鈥檝e had quite a warm October, and of course, that鈥檚 just lengthened the wildfire season as well, so certainly it鈥檚 behind the times,鈥� said Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).

Lang explained that this winter is expected to be influenced by El Nino conditions, which generally results in warmer and drier weather in much of Western Canada, including the North.

鈥淭he El Nino conditions are forecast to last into the spring,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o I would be surprised if it gets a lot colder than average.鈥�

However, she cautioned that long-range forecasts are not very reliable, especially when it comes to precipitation.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just not that good at it,鈥� she admitted. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just a result of the kind of models that we have and just the way the atmosphere works.鈥�

According to the latest forecast from ECCC, there鈥檚 a higher probability that it will be milder than average from November to January in Yellowknife. However, the precipitation pattern is not showing a clear trend and it鈥檚 hard to predict how much snow will accumulate over the winter.

鈥淚t鈥檚 winter in Canada. We know it鈥檚 going to get cold. We know it鈥檚 going to snow,鈥� Lang said. 鈥淛ust at the end of the day, when we add everything up, is it going to be warmer than average and drier than average? That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e expecting.鈥�

Snow removal strategy

With heavy snowfalls making roads, including some main thoroughfares, impassable for some vehicles last winter, the City of Yellowknife is planning for snow removal for this winter.

鈥淭he city monitors annual weather trends and if it鈥檚 observed that snow levels are increased for more than three years, an increase to the snow removal budget would then be considered,鈥� said Chris Greencorn, the city鈥檚 public works director.

He noted that the budget for snow removal for 2024 has a 鈥渟light increase鈥� compared to 2023. The snow and ice control budget for 2023 was set at $1.86 million, as detailed on page 88 of the municipal consolidated budget. This figure encompasses various snow-related tasks, staff wages, contracted costs and winter sanding materials.

Looking ahead to 2024, the budget for snow and ice control is slated to increase just barely, to $1.87 million.

Greencorn said the city has about 10 vehicles that can be used for snow removal. Some of the vehicles are multipurpose and are used for other projects within the city.