It feels like May in February but beware of 'false spring'

As an Environment Canada meteorologist, Geoff Coulson is very familiar telling people how to stay safe during lightning strikes.

He just didn't expect to be uttering the phrase "when lightning roars, go indoors" at this time of year. 

"There's no way I anticipated talking about lightning safety in late February, but that's certainly a testament to the kind of winter we've had so far," he said.

Environment Canada's forecast calls for temperatures of 13 C in London on Tuesday — 0.2 degrees shy of the city's record high set in 2000. Stranger still, there's a possibility of an overnight thunderstorm, certainly not the snow-covered ground and sub-zero temperatures we're used to seeing mid winter.

"Right across southwestern Ontario, we've seen milder than normal conditions in December, January and so far this month," said Coulson. "We've seen long stretches of milder weather punctuated by a return to Arctic air to remind everyone that it's winter."

It's that last part about the "return to Arctic air" that concerns Julie Dorssers. She's been a master gardener in London for the past 15 years. She understands gardeners are anxious to get outside and start turning the soil, but says all this unseasonably warm weather can have a downside. 

"We could be having what's called a false spring," said Dorssers. "We have this mild weather but there could be a cold snap afterward and that can be a problem for pears, peaches, plumbs and asparagus, things that flower early. This is what we're seeing with climate change. We're going to have weird weather and it makes it unpredictable." 

Dorssers said the mild weather raises a lot of challenges for people who grow things, whether they do it for fun or as a business.

No snow layer means seeds don't get the benefit of the insulation it provides. Also, the lack of sustained sub-zero temperatures can mean more nuisance insects when the weather warms up.  

"We're probably going to have more pests this season," she said. 

Dorssers said a good supply of winter snow also helps kick off the growing season because it can keep the soil moist as it melts slowly during the early days of spring. 

Seedy Saturday event

Lynne Kring, general manager at Parkway Garden Centre in west London, said climate change is forcing gardeners to adjust their approach. 

"We are seeing a trend toward more native and drought-resistant plants," she said. "Certainly in this industry we're thinking differently, and then we try and guide and provide information for our visitors to help them adapt to the environmental changes that are happening." 

Dorssers said climate change and how it affects gardening will be a big topic at this year's Seedy Saturday event at the Carling Heights Community Centre. There will be expert speakers and seed-swapping tables. 

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. 

"You can ask lots of questions and learn a lot," said Dorssers.