Mar. 21, 12:46 EDT
Spring's arrival a little chilly
Keep your winter coat handy for a little while longer
Jacquie De Almeida
The Hamilton Spectator
Spring is itching to be sprung but Old Man Winter isn't quite ready to let go his frosty hold.
If you thought you could ditch your winter coat and boots, you might want to hold onto them for a little while longer.
While spring officially arrived at 7:33 a.m. yesterday, temperatures hung around the 0 C mark for most of the day while light flurries fell from overcast skies, reminding us all that winter is still with us.
"It's a little depressing when people come in with winter coats on, shivering," said Shelley Anderson, an employee at Hutch's on Van Wagner's Beach Road.
Business at the popular local attraction known for its golden-battered cod and fresh-cut fries was a little on the slow side.
"The sunshine and the warm weather brings them out and they just don't think of the beach when it's cold and snowy," Anderson said.
Andre Cyr, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said spring is just around the corner. And while the first day of the equinox was celebrated with frosty winds, warmer temperatures are expected toward the end of the week.
"It's up and down. March is often like that," Cyr said. "It's not unusual to get snow this time of the year. But we saw spring a little sooner last year."
But the first day of spring in 2004 didn't break any records. Temperatures barely made it above freezing and light rain and snow heralded the equinox.
Cyr said this is normal fare.
Highs this week are expected to reach around 5 C but lows will hit a frigid -7C.
"March and April are transition periods. You get warm conditions but cold periods. We're slightly below normal but not too far off."
But for those dreaming of lush trees and rolling green hills, spring can't come soon enough. Sitting in the clubhouse at the Glendale Golf and Country Club, golfer Patrick Dillon said he can't wait to hit the fairways as he looks out at the winter wonderland.
"It's not only something we look forward to, it's a necessity," said Dillon, a self-described golf addict and longtime club member.
"When we start to see fairways, we get pretty anxious."
Melting snow and patches of green peeking out from under the ice only feed the addiction, which some fend off with frequent trips to warmer climates.
"It's been a long winter for most of us," Dillon said, adding he and his friends have been praying for rain and sunshine.
Hutch's could do without the rain, but sunshine is definitely on the menu.
"Sunshine today would have been a lot better, but we haven't had too many people upset about it," Anderson said, looking around at the vacant booths of the 1950s-style eatery.
Cyr said the long winter and cold spring are symptoms of what is to come. The long-range forecast for Ontario and most of eastern Canada is calling for cooler temperatures and wetter conditions.
"But it could all change. Sometimes it's right and sometimes it's wrong. We just wait and see what's going to happen."
jdealmeida@thespec.com
905-526-3214
Spring's arrival a little chilly
Keep your winter coat handy for a little while longer
Jacquie De Almeida
The Hamilton Spectator
Spring is itching to be sprung but Old Man Winter isn't quite ready to let go his frosty hold.
If you thought you could ditch your winter coat and boots, you might want to hold onto them for a little while longer.
While spring officially arrived at 7:33 a.m. yesterday, temperatures hung around the 0 C mark for most of the day while light flurries fell from overcast skies, reminding us all that winter is still with us.
"It's a little depressing when people come in with winter coats on, shivering," said Shelley Anderson, an employee at Hutch's on Van Wagner's Beach Road.
Business at the popular local attraction known for its golden-battered cod and fresh-cut fries was a little on the slow side.
"The sunshine and the warm weather brings them out and they just don't think of the beach when it's cold and snowy," Anderson said.
Andre Cyr, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said spring is just around the corner. And while the first day of the equinox was celebrated with frosty winds, warmer temperatures are expected toward the end of the week.
"It's up and down. March is often like that," Cyr said. "It's not unusual to get snow this time of the year. But we saw spring a little sooner last year."
But the first day of spring in 2004 didn't break any records. Temperatures barely made it above freezing and light rain and snow heralded the equinox.
Cyr said this is normal fare.
Highs this week are expected to reach around 5 C but lows will hit a frigid -7C.
"March and April are transition periods. You get warm conditions but cold periods. We're slightly below normal but not too far off."
But for those dreaming of lush trees and rolling green hills, spring can't come soon enough. Sitting in the clubhouse at the Glendale Golf and Country Club, golfer Patrick Dillon said he can't wait to hit the fairways as he looks out at the winter wonderland.
"It's not only something we look forward to, it's a necessity," said Dillon, a self-described golf addict and longtime club member.
"When we start to see fairways, we get pretty anxious."
Melting snow and patches of green peeking out from under the ice only feed the addiction, which some fend off with frequent trips to warmer climates.
"It's been a long winter for most of us," Dillon said, adding he and his friends have been praying for rain and sunshine.
Hutch's could do without the rain, but sunshine is definitely on the menu.
"Sunshine today would have been a lot better, but we haven't had too many people upset about it," Anderson said, looking around at the vacant booths of the 1950s-style eatery.
Cyr said the long winter and cold spring are symptoms of what is to come. The long-range forecast for Ontario and most of eastern Canada is calling for cooler temperatures and wetter conditions.
"But it could all change. Sometimes it's right and sometimes it's wrong. We just wait and see what's going to happen."
jdealmeida@thespec.com
905-526-3214
