BlackburnNews.com file photo of Reaume Park in Windsor on February 19, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of Reaume Park in Windsor on February 19, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)
Chatham

Coldest February On Record

At least one meteorologist is calling last month Fridge-uary, as it was the coldest February on record for this region.

"It was brutal," says Environment Canada's Senior Climatologist David Phillips.

He says the average temperature last month was -11 C (12 F), when it would normally be -3 C (26 F) at the worst. "Every way you look at it, it was a brutal month," says Phillips. "Then even with snowfall, what really shocked me and I know it's been cold everywhere, but in Windsor you had 71 cm (28 in) of snow. Normally we'd get about 31cm (12 in)."

Spring isn't here just yet, with more snow and freezing rain Tuesday. "Until you get rid of all the snow, the ice and the frost in the ground, you really can't warm it up," says Phillips. "There is a bit of a lag. We're not going to see a rush to spring, but clearly March is not going to be as brutal as February -- it's going to be gentler."

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