April 8, 2010 - North Central Ontario

Ontario weather - April 8, 2010

Sometimes, I miss living in Ontario throughout the year (as opposed to being a cottager). I live in the Chicago area–in the northwest suburbs to be precise, and our weather is uncannily similar to Ontario. However underneath the asphalt we are on what was prairie.
The big, beautiful tress, the massive granite walls lining the highway, the lakes, my goodness the lakes of south central Ontario a/k/a cottage country. We have none of that but we do get the weather. Since I do the forecast for the Haliburton Highlands each week (there will be a post tomorrow) and I need to know the weather forecast here at home to know for example, that at the beginning of this week I could go top-down motoring as I went from picking up my son at school–to taking him to the dentist–going to the library–all in weather in which I was comfortable in shirt-sleeves.

Chris & Raven on the Palatine Trail behind the library - 4.5.10

Today: rainy gloomy, COLD.  A day or two ago we had the same hailstorm activity that Ontario is seeing and next week we’ll have the same warm up. I’d say about 85% of the time the two regions weather is near identical with two significant differences. One, the used-to-be prairie we live on is as you would guess, flat. There is nothing geographical to cut the wind from cutting through you. And it does. I’ve never felt the wrath of the winter winds as I have in Chicagoland. Two the timing of the weather ‘events’ differs by about 36 hours.

I know that cottage country gets very cold in winter and usually there is significant snow but it’s my belief despite that that the snow actually makes the winter feel less harsh and the hills cut the windchill a bit. I realize too that Ontario and much of Canada had a mild 2009-2010 winter.  The consensus here, despite fairly consistent snowfall is that winter ‘wasn’t that bad.’

Now just like their Canadian counterparts, folks here have spring fever as I saw in photographs and read that many Canadians did last week, too. Spring can be quite fickle. Getting one dreaming of a warm spring on sunny days–and then snatching it away with snow flurries.

Don’t dispair. Here is a thumbnail of what you can expect for this weekend. I’ll  have a detailed forecast on Friday.

CLICK twice to enlarge to full size

Courtesy of the Weather Network

March Mildness sums up what much of Canada has experienced throughout much of  the third month of  2010.

Toronto for example, has had not a single ‘average’ day yet this March as we are perch at the two-third’s through-the-month point. Have a look at a quick thumbnail chart of how not-March-like March has been.

Ontario's March Mildness

Outdoor activities abounded this week  including barbecuing, going to the beach–and hitting the ski slopes which you can see in the webcam photos I took today are still snow-covered and open for business. I wouldn’t wait too much longer getting out on the slopes of Ontario, however.

[View with PicLens]

Haliburton Highlands Short Term weather 3.19.20

It’s a lovely, sunny day today -Friday with a few clouds and a high of 55°F. As evening rolls in expect more cloudy periods and an overnight low of 22°F.

Saturday starts with variable cloudiness and a temperature of 24°F but temperatures climb throughout the day reaching a Saturday afternoon high of 36°F. Expect cloudy periods Saturday evening with temperatures holding steady at 36°F. Overnight will be mainly clear with a low of 22°F.

There is no precipitation in the forecast for this period.

Long term weather Haliburton Highlands 3.20-25.10

Sunday, expect variable cloudiness and a high of 43°F. The overnight low will be 20°F.

Monday will be mostly cloudy with sunny breaks with a temperature of 45°F. Overnight lows will be 22°F and there’s a chance of less than one inch of snow.

Tuesday expect cloudy periods, a high temperature of 46°F and an overnight low of 24 °F.

Wednesday has wet flurries in the forecast with a high of 41°F. There should be less than one inch precipitation accumulated. The overnight low will be 26°F.

Thursday, expect cloudy periods, a high of 41°F and an overnight low of 27°F.

Have a great weekend!

Indian River, Port Carling - 3.19.10

Maple Lake Haliburton Highlands Short Term Weather 3.12.10

Haliburton Highlands Weekend Weather 3.12.10

Welcome to your weekend!

It seems that the not-spring-yet thaw is going to continue through next week. If you take a look at a number of the photos above (be sure to click through for the full size) you’ll see substantial melting of lakes and rivers as well as some very soggy-looking ski areas.

Today- Friday started with a bit of sun but as the day wore on showers moved in. They are forecast to continue overnight though only a ‘trace’  of precipitation will accumulate. The high today was 50°F and the low tonight will be 30°F.

Haliburton Highlands – Maple Lake Long Term Weather 03.13–03.18.10

Looking at tomorrow–Saturday expect isolated showers and a high temperature of 45°F. Overnight the low will be to a rather warm 37°F. Only a ‘trace’  of precipitation will accumulate on Saturday.

On Sunday, March 14, expect cloudiness and showers, a high temp of 37°F and an overnight low of  36°F.  There may be 0.1 inch of rain accumulated.

For the start of the traditional work-week on Monday there is variable cloudiness in the forecast with a high of 50°F.  The overnight low is expected to drop to 29°F.

Tuesday looks like a bright, sunny day with a spring-like high temperature of 52°F. Overnight, expect a low of 27°F.

Wednesday brings another sunny day with a high of 50°F. The low overnight  is expected to be 27°F.

Thursday is expected to have cloudy periods though no rain with a high temperature of 50°F.  The overnight low should be 27°F.

Southern Ontario Short Term Weather 3.5-6.10

Welcome to the first weekend of March!

From some of today’s Southern Ontario webcam photos it looks like there’s (been) a thaw in parts of Southern Ontario. Definitely in Reach Harbour and in Haliburton.

And so yep (I checked), this big thaw in the Haliburton Highlands area and other areas is continuing through next week!

The spring transition is always such an active, shifting weather time.

Haliburton Highlands – Maple Lake Long Term Weather

Short-term weather Haliburton Highlands. Tonight–Friday night was clear and with low of 11°F or so. Chilly!

Sunny skies will greet you both waking up and through the day on Saturday temperatures will be mild, climbing  to 43°F with sunny skies lasting until early afternoon. The temperature steadily declines until at midnight it is expected to be clear and 27°F . Then a big change occurs. Around 1 a.m. fog moves in with patchy fog with denser fog  mixed in in certain areas. Temperatures will be around 27 °F.

Sunday morning through mid-day will be sunny with nice temperatures going from 29°F up to 43°F during the day until a shift around 6 pm with clear skies moving to variable periods of cloudiness and temperatures falling to 26°F overnight on Sunday.

Haliburton Highlands Long Term Weather Forecast 3.5-3.12.10

Haliburton Highlands Weekend Weather and Long Term Weather Forecast – 3.05.10 – 3.12.10

Lake Nipissing Sunset (3.5.10) North Bay, Ontario, Canada (northwest of the Highlands)

Monday, expect cloudy periods but still above normal ‘thaw’ temperatures of 41°F. The overnight low on Monday is forecast to be 26°F. There’s a pattern of freeze overnights and thaws during the daylight hours for most of the week so watch out for ice patches–all potentially dangerous ice, actually.

Tuesday willy be sunny with a high of 36°F and an overnight low of 17°F. It seems the nights are normal but the daytime temps are above, right?

Wednesday is the second of at least a four of sunny days in a row (1). Expect the high on Wednesday to be 36°F and the low temp overnight–same as last night– 17°F.

Thursday is sunny with a high of 34°F and an overnight low of 18°F.

The beginning of next weekend is starting off on a sunny note with a high of 41°F. Overnight lows will be 26°F.

Have a great week!

Sidney Crosby wins gold for Canada. (Photo credit: Doug Mills/New York Times)

The depth and breadth of hockey’s place in Canadian culture can be hard to fathom beyond the borders. But it now might be heard, echoing from the north, thanks to a 3-2 overtime victory over the United States in the final event of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

To hear Canadians tell it, the hockey gold medal has come home, where it belongs.

Canada did not win as many medals as it had hoped at these Olympics, which closed on Sunday night, but it won more golds (14) than any country in history. The last, an emphatic exclamation point on the 2010 Vancouver Games, will be collectively cherished more than any other.

This, after all, is a country whose $5 bill has a scene of children playing hockey on a pond, with a quotation from the short story “The Hockey Sweater,” by Roch Carrier:

“The winters of my childhood were long, long seasons. We lived in three places — the school, the church and the skating rink — but our real life was on the skating rink.”

Hockey, the Canadian poet Richard Harrison once said, “is the national id.”

Continue reading this article at the The New York Times.

Roberto Luongo w/ victory flag (Photo credit :NYTimes/Stalknecht)

Team Canada Olympic hockey team wins gold/ Photo credit: Doug Mills, NY Times

It is really hard not to gloat.

The men I live with were rather smug about Canada’s loss to the U.S. earlier in the competition. They felt quite sure that the US had a lock on the gold.

There was never a doubt in my mind that Canada would take home the hockey gold. The world’s record 14 gold medals  for Canada is the fudgey chocolate icing on my Nanaimo bar.

Feb 26th, 2010- It’s been the stormiest week of the year so far for Southern Ontario.
Read on to see what else Mother Nature has in store for this weekend and the upcoming first week of March, 2010.

Haliburton Highlands Weekend Weather 2.26.10

Weekend Weather Forecast Haliburton Highlands - Maple Lake 2.26-27.10

Welcome to your weekend!

This evening Friday expect cloudiness with clear breaks and a temperature of 29°F. Overnight there will be scattered flurries with a rather mild low of 27°F.

Saturday morning calls for continued scattered flurries with a temperature of 29°F. Scattered flurries continue through Saturday afternoon. It will be unseasonably warm with temperatures climbing to 34°F. Saturday overnight expect variable cloudiness with a few flurries and a low of 26°F.

Haliburton Highlands – Maple Lake Long Term Weather 02.28–03.05.10 (below)

Haliburton Highlands Long Term Weather Forecast 2.28 - 3.5.10

Variable cloudiness returns on Sunday with temperatures still on the warm side at 34°F. Overnight, expect temps to slip to 26°F.

Variable cloudiness opens the month of March on Monday.  The high temperature is forecast to be 29°F.  The overnight low is expected to be 24°F.

Tuesday ushers in cloudy periods and a high of 32°F.  The overnight low will drop to 22°F.

Wednesday returns to a familiar theme of variable cloudiness and a high of 29°F.  The overnight lows continues to be lower as the week progresses. Expect Wednesday’s nighttime low to be 18°F.

Thursday will be a sunny day!  High temps on Thursday are forecast to be 24°F. The low overnight drops to 11°F.

Friday will be mainly sunny day with a high of 27°F and an overnight low of 13°F.

Have a great week!

Be sure to CLICK to enlarge the web cam photos below taken today Friday, February 26, 2010

Photo courtesy of the Haliburton Highlands Tourism Dept.

Weekend Winter Trail Report Haliburton Highlands (CLICK to enlarge)

Weekend Winter Trail Report Haliburton Highlands Pt. 2 (CLICK to enlarge)

Ski Conditions defined (CLICK to enlarge)

Working on weekend and long term weather forecast–will be posted soon!

Photo: http://www.xcottawa.ca/articles.php?id=356

Each winter a series of races take place in locations throughout Ontario that collectively form the Ontario Cup series.

Each district of Cross Country Ontario hosts a race at one of it’s member club sites.

Races typically run on weekends with Saturday races being of the ‘Classic’ style and Sunday races being of the ‘Free’ or ‘Skate’ style.

There are age categories for the participants in each race that may include midget-aged boys and girls, juvenile aged boys and girls, junior aged boys and girls, junior aged men and women, and senior men and women.

Points are awarded based on finish results of each race. These points are used to as selection criteria for high performance team selections and awards.

This winter, Southern Ontario District is proud to support two Ontario Cup races. On January 16 & 17, Arrowhead Nordic and the community of Huntsville will be hosted the Ontario Winter Games. Ontario Cup #2 took place that weekend.

On the weekend of February 27 & 28, Haliburton Nordic Ski Club will host Ontario Cup #5. Both events promise to be a great showcasing of Nordic skiing in southern Ontario. Take the opportunity to go and watch, participate, or volunteer to help out.

Glebe Park Haliburton
Contact: County Visitor Info Centre
Tel: 705-286-1777 or 1-800-461-7677,
Email: tourism@county.haliburton.on.ca

This is a non-sponsored post in support of the Haliburton Highlands.

Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir win freedance Olympic Gold for Canada 2.22.10

VANCOUVER — Theirs has long been an almost uncanny alchemy — great parts platonic love and respect — and on Monday the mix was potent enough to transform a beautiful 14-year partnership and endless personal sacrifices into an Olympic gold medal.

It wasn’t so much magic on a grand scale, because implying sleight of hand or smoke and mirrors would not do justice to the intricate, romantic free dance program that sent Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir flying to the top of the podium at Pacific Coliseum. Quite simply, their heartfelt performance and technical mastery over ice dancing’s ever more difficult elements — the lifts and spins and twizzles — set the bar too high even for their young friends and training mates, Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who settled into silver, a rather distant six points behind.

“What a night, what a week for us,” said Moir. “We knew it was in us, but to get out there on the Olympic ice and perform, and execute like that; it’s a feeling that I’ve never had.”

“It was just about skating together and skating from our hearts and enjoying the moment for us and skating for the two of us,” said Virtue. “We’re so proud to be Canadian and do it for the nation. This is absolutely Canada’s medal.”

Continue reading this story: SOURCE

Scott Weir & Tessa Virtue win Olympic Gold for Canada - 2.22.2010

Canada's Alexandre Bilodeau competes during men's freestyle skiing moguls qualifying on Cypress Mountain at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, February 14, 2010. Credit: REUTERS/Mike Blake

Family Day unofficially was extended across the country Monday as millions of proud Canadians continue to come together to celebrate the athletic achievement of moguls skier Alexandre Bilodeau.

The country remains abuzz after the 22-year-old captured an Olympic gold medal on Sunday night in Vancouver, the first by a Canuck in a Games hosted by Canada in 34 years.

“Bravo Alex Bravo!” speedskater Charles Hamelin, a medal favourite at these Games, said of his Canadian teammate on Twitter. “He is my hero, I am so happy for him! I’m eager to congratulate him in person!”

That could happen Monday as Bilodeau will receive his gold medal at a ceremony in downtown Vancouver.

Also “pumped” for Bilodeau is Brian McKeever, a visually impaired cross-country skier who soon will make history himself as the first Paralympian to compete at a Winter Olympics.

“What a performance to give us the first gold on home soil,” the 30-year-old native of Canmore, Alta., tweeted. “Now maybe the media will focus on something else.”

Proud Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who was among the crowd of 60,000-plus at Friday’s opening ceremony under the roof at BC Place Stadium, phoned Bilodeau after his victory and said: “Canadian families across the country are proud of you, Alex.”

A medal contender, Bilodeau nailed his last run, blazing through the slushy moguls to a 23.17-second finish and a score of 26.75 to best defending Olympic champion Dale Begg-Smith, a Vancouver native who now competes for Australia.

SOURCE: National Post

Congrats to Canada’s Alexandre Bilodeau on breaking the 34-year Olympic gold-on-home-soil (snow?) drought.

Despite all the noise from the usual suspects about who should have won (ironically, the Australians are saying that the gold should’ve gone to a former Canadian, now Aussie competitor) this a morale boost for all Canadian competitors. The pressure is off all of them in that Alex Bilodeau has “broken the curse.”

And though some are spouting the old, tired complaint that since Alex is a native of Quebec (which last time I googled, was a province in CANADA! Has there ever been a time when both Quebec and the rest of the provinces existed that they did not feud about what constitutes the “real” Canada?!), Canada has not truly won the gold yet, Alexandre Bilodeau will go down in history as the winner of the of Olympic gold medal on Sunday night in Vancouver. Bravo to Alex and to the Canadians who are not nit-picking his victory–just reveling in his wondrous win and the pride felt seeing the gold bestowed upon this phenomenal Canadian athlete.