Ready for ol man winter?

Once again, winter is beginning to wrap its long cold arms around us with most of us hoping not to be buried under too much snow and that the temperatures stay bearable. So what are the experts predicting for us this winter?
Forecasted by Environment Canada, the following maps show locations in Canada with a probability to receive either above or below average winter temperatures and precipitation.

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News and events visually

And for spring and summer?

Below normal = Blue Above normal = Red Normal = White

Temperature

Above normal temperature forecast

0 Prob (%) above normal 20 40
Near 100% probabilty of above normal temperatures this winter Near 100% probabilty of above normal percipitation this winter

Below normal temperature forecast

0 Prob (%) below normal
Near 100% probabilty of below normal temperatures this winter

Period: Mar.-Apr.-May 2012 Temperature

20 40 60 80 100

60 80 100

Period: June-July-Aug. 2012 Precipitation

Near 90% probabilty of below normal precipitation this winter

Above normal precipitation forecast

0 Prob (%) above normal 20 40 60 80 100

Below normal precipitation forecast

0 20 40 60 80 100 Prob (%) above normal

Period: Mar.-Apr.-May 2012 Precipitation

Period: June-July-Aug. 2012

From The Farmers Almanac

For the winter of 20112012, the Almanac is forecasting unusually cold and stormy weather. For some parts of the country that means a frigid climate; while for others, its lots of rain and snow.
Sources: Environment Canada; Farmers Almanac

Cold to very cold, from Alberta east across Saskatchewan and Manitoba into western Ontario. Temperatures will average above normal for much of Nova Scotia and, possibly, southern New Brunswick.

Near-normal temperatures expected elsewhere. A very active storm track will bring copious precipitation through the Great Lakes into central and eastern Ontario, Quebec, and much of the Maritimes.

Another active storm track over the Pacic Ocean will guide systems into southern and central British Columbia and western Alberta, giving them a wetter-than-normal winter.

Averge snowfall Cold Very cold Averge snowfall Very wet White Frigid Cold Average snowfall

Wet White Cold

Very wet Stormy Cold

Wet Mild

SUSAN BATSFORD, GRAPHICS EDITOR, TWITTER @SBATS1; INFOGRAPHIC BY TARA CORRAN/QMI AGENCY