Montreal experiences its second warmest winter

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In Montreal, the average monthly temperature for the months of December, January and February was four degrees higher than normal .

The Canadian Press

Montreal is experiencing its second warmest winter since meteorological records have been recorded, since 1871, said Environment Canada.

Meteorologist Gregory Yang noted that the average monthly temperature for December, January and February was four degrees higher than normal.

He said that on February 27, the temperature reached 14.9 degrees, a record for that date. Only the winter of 2001-2002 was warmer in Montreal.

The archives go back to 1871, so it's quite a long time, he clarified.

The mild temperatures even encouraged Genie, the black bear at the Écomuseum zoo in Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, on the island of Montreal, to come out of hibernation earlier than in 27 ;accustomed.

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At the Écomuseum zoo in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, the bear Genie has come out of hibernation .

A spokeswoman, Sarah Prince-Robin, said the bear made its first official outing Friday, just in time for the start of the week spring break for several students.

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Ms. Prince-Robin believes that' a series of factors could have contributed to the early awakening of the animal. This large mammal is often stimulated by temperature and barometric pressure to realize that spring is upon us.

At the Écomusée, we consider that bears are even better than marmots at announcing spring.

A quote from Sarah Prince-Robin, spokesperson for the Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue Écomuseum zoo

Yang said the average temperature was -1°C in December, -5.3°C in January and -3.4°C in February. From 1981 to 2010, the averages recorded were -5.4°C, -9.7°C and -7.7°C for the same months.

Everywhere in Quebec, the month of December was marked by light snowfall as well as temperatures well above average, indicated Environment Canada at the beginning of January.

Even though snowfall in Montreal was close to seasonal averages due to a storm at the beginning of December, this city was one of the many places in the province to experience a green Christmas.< /p>

January and February were also mild, although sometimes marked by sudden temperature variations which frustrated ski slope operators as well as ski enthusiasts. winter sports like ice skating and cross-country skiing.

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A boy was skateboarding on Sunday in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue.

The Weather Network's spring forecast, released last week, suggests that most Canadians can expect similar conditions in the spring. The network predicted a warmer-than-normal season, but it also warned Canadians to prepare for sudden seasonal mood swings.

Forecasts released Wednesday indicate that the unusually mild winter experienced across much of the country due to El Niño will pave the way for even more pleasant weather in the coming weeks.