Will we get a white Christmas? Here's what the experts say

If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas in Waterloo Region, don’t hold your breath – with nine days to go, there isn’t much snow in the forecast before Dec. 25.

“We’ve got some low-pressure systems on the way. Not just one, but a few,” explained Trudy Kidd, a meteorologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada. “That being said though, they don’t look like they’re carrying a whole lot of precipitation with them, that being snow or rain.”

It's a significant shift from earlier in December, when a few rounds of snow left people with lots of shovelling. But mild temperatures and rain arrived on Monday, washing away much of the white stuff.

Environment and Climate Change Canada defines a white Christmas as two centimetres of snow on the ground at 7 a.m. on Dec. 25.

“At this point, it doesn’t look like the chances are great,” Kidd said.

Still, like Santa Claus, Mother Nature could still have some surprises up her sleeve.

“Really, whatever we get on Christmas Eve could be the deciding factor. So if we get a low-pressure system on Christmas Eve and it ends up being cold, and cold enough to last, then we're in good shape for those of us who are hoping for a white Christmas,” Kidd explained.

There is some snow to be found in Waterloo Region.

There are piles of the white stuff, in fact, waiting to be moved and groomed on the hill at Chicopee Tube Park.

“We are way ahead of where we’ve ever been before for this time of year,” said general manager Bob Harris. “It’s great.”

It’s possible thanks to the cold temperatures and snowmaking technology, including a new fan gun.

“It performed, outperformed, and did excellent snow. Early, more yield, great output,” explained Harris.

And thanks to an additive called Snomax, the piles of snow are preserved.

Once the weather gets colder again, the snow will be moved onto the hills to form the tubing runs.

Opening day for the Chicopee Tube Park is currently set for Dec. 27, but that could be moved up.

“It's possible we could be open before Christmas if everything comes together the right way,” Harris said.

Snowmobilers, who rely fully on Mother Nature to provide the necessary snow, are feeling less optimistic.

“We kind of feel like we’ve been cursed by the Grinch,” Graham Snyder, groomer captain at the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, joked.

The fields where the snowmobile trails will go were still green on Monday.

Snyder said it's discouraging, especially after last year, when trails in this area were only open for a few days.

But he and other snowmobilers are still holding out hope this season will be better.

“We can make a trail with a fairly minimal amount of snow because of the prep work we do. However, we still need it,” said Snyder.

Environment and Climate Change Canada anticipates that this year will be less warm than last season, when there was very little snow in this part of Ontario, though Kidd notes many factors are at play and it’s difficult to predict what can happen in the long term.