Spring may be arriving on the calendar, but for many in Simcoe County it still feels like winter has its grip firmly in place. And according to Environment Canada's David Phillips, that feeling is justified — this was a winter we haven’t seen in a generation.
“This one was clearly old-fashioned,” Phillips said in a conversation reflecting on the season. “I kept hearing people say, boy, this is an old-fashioned kind of a winter… It reminded me of the 70s.”
After an unusually warm fall — including temperatures that reached 30°C in October — winter arrived abruptly in early November and never let up. Phillips says the four core winter months, from November through February, were all colder than normal, something he hasn’t seen “in a long period of time.”
And the snow? Relentless.
Phillips estimates that with this week’s snowfall, the Barrie area has reached about 400 centimetres, compared to a seasonal norm of roughly 260. “We clearly are 70% maybe more snow than normal,” he said. Every month from November straight through to March came in snowier than average.
For many families, that meant a picturesque winter — skiing, snowmobiling, and ice‑fishing flourished after struggling through several milder years. But for the rest of us, the constant shovelling made the season feel never‑ending.
Listen below to our full interview with David Phillips. It's the first item.
Looking ahead, Phillips reminds residents not to pack away the winter gear just yet. Simcoe County has never made it through April without at least some snow. Based on 30‑year averages, the region can still expect around 30 centimetres before the final flakes fall.
But there’s good news: spring should gain momentum in April, bringing the biggest month‑to‑month warmup of the year. “It really is either normal to warmer than normal for April, May, and June,” Phillips said of the long‑range forecast.
And for those dreaming of patio season, there’s an early hint that summer could be warmer than normal — though Phillips cautions there’s plenty of time for that forecast to evolve.
Still, after months of cold, snow, and shovelling, even a slow spring will be welcome. As Phillips put it, “People who love winter are saying, okay, we’ve had enough.”
