By Ian Holmes

February among coldest ever in Nanaimo: Environment Canada

Mar 1, 2019 | 1:30 PM

NANAIMO — One of the coldest February’s on record in Nanaimo also brought the city more snow than any other urban centre in the country.

Meteorologist Armel Castellan said a warmer than average winter reversed in a big way at the beginning of February, bringing large amounts of snow to the Nanaimo area in the month’s first half.

“Those 88 centimeters were the most amount of snow of any city in Canada up until that point in February,” Castellan said. “That’s a very rare event.”

The 88.6 cm of snow which fell in February around Nanaimo shattered the 30-year average of 10.9 cm.

Castellan said the bone-chilling average monthly temperature of just above the freezing mark was almost 4C colder than what residents are used to.

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“Nanaimo was the fourth-coldest February on record and those date back over 100 years,” he said.

Much of the record-breaking snowfall was contained between Feb. 10 and 12, when 69 cm of snow was reported at the Nanaimo Airport. There were unconfirmed reports the Ladysmith area suffered 45 cm of snow in one day.

Those hoping for immediate relief from frigid temperatures will likely have to wait with Castellan anticipating March will open with several cold weeks.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes