The Weather Network Delivers Spring Outlook for Canada

Near normal to above average temperatures expected across most of Canada

OAKVILLE, ON, March 5, 2013 /CNW/ - The Weather Network's meteorologists have been hard at work forecasting their outlook for the months of March, April and May. Most of Canada, with the exception of British Columbia, can expect near normal to above average temperatures this spring. Much of B.C. will experience a slower start to spring, with below normal temperatures expected.

While temperatures are predicted to be above normal across parts of the country, Canadians east of the Rocky Mountains should not expect the record-setting warmth experienced last spring.

"Canadians typically find themselves riding a rollercoaster of weather conditions at the start of spring which means there's still the potential for wintry surprises in March across most parts of the country," said Chris Scott, Director of Meteorology for The Weather Network. "It's unlikely we'll experience the all-time record high temperatures of last March, but Canadians can always count on extra daylight hours and the increased intensity of the sun that comes with the arrival of spring."

When will Spring spring?
Weather forecasts for the next two weeks are typical for the start of spring, with dramatic swings in temperature expected.  After a chilly first weekend of March for much of the country, a tease of warmer weather will spread across many regions this upcoming weekend only to be followed by a return to cold air next week.

The Weather Network: Spring 2013 Forecast
Region	Temperature outlook	Precipitation outlook
British Columbia	Below normal for most.  Near normal for extreme northern B.C., the Queen Charlottes and much of Vancouver Island's west coast.	Below normal for central interior B.C. out to the Central Coast and portions of the North Coast and the Queen Charlottes.  Near normal elsewhere.
Alberta	Below normal for northern Alberta. Near normal elsewhere.	Above normal along the central Saskatchewan border.  Near normal elsewhere.
Saskatchewan	Below normal for west-central Saskatchewan. Near normal conditions elsewhere.	Above normal for northern sections and across the western half except for the southwest which will be near normal along with most of the east.
Manitoba	Near normal for all areas.	Above normal for south-central and south-east portions.  Near normal elsewhere.
Ontario	Above normal for southeastern parts of northeast Ontario, all of eastern Ontario and most of southern Ontario.  Near normal elsewhere.	Above normal for southern parts of northwestern Ontario and adjacent Manitoba borderlands.  Above normal in extreme southwest Ontario.  Near normal elsewhere.
Québec	Above normal for most areas.  Near normal around the Hudson Bay lowlands and much of Ungava Bay.	Near normal.
The Maritimes and Newfoundland	Above normal in New Brunswick, the Bay of Fundy, western P.E.I., eastern Newfoundland and most of Labrador. Near normal elsewhere.	Near normal.
Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut	Below normal for much of the southwest part of the N.W.T.  Above normal for the central swath of Nunavut. Near normal elsewhere.	Above normal in the southeastern N.W.T. and bordering Nunavut as well as central Baffin Island.  Near normal elsewhere.

The Weather Network's Spring Outlook is now online www.theweathernetwork.com/outlook

About Pelmorex Media Inc.
Founded in 1989 by CEO and controlling shareholder Pierre Morrissette, Pelmorex Media Inc. is the parent company of The Weather Network, MétéoMédia, Travelers Network and Réseau Voyageurs. In July 2012, Pelmorex added El Tiempo to its lineup, Spain's leading multi-platform weather-related information service.  The California-based Beat The Traffic service was acquired in September 2012 to complement Travelers Network, a service dedicated to routing users from point A to B, around the corner or around the globe, via all modes of transportation.  Pelmorex is a leader in meeting the information needs of consumers with invaluable content, ease of accessibility, overall quality and a compelling experience on all platforms and also in meeting the weather information needs of commercial and government clients whose success relies on accurate and reliable weather related information.   The Weather Network and its French counterpart, MétéoMédia are among the top media brands in Canada and market leaders in the multi-platform digital market including, web, smartphones and tablets. The Weather Network and MétéoMédia television services are in every home via cable, satellite and telco distributors and rank among Canada's most frequently consulted services. Pelmorex has also been licensed to operate Canada's National Alerting Aggregation and Dissemination System (NAADS) which aggregates and distributes emergency alerts issued by authorized government agencies; alerts are made available to the public via broadcasters and distributors as well as via the internet and mobile devices.  Pelmorex Media Inc. has been named one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for seven consecutive years and is one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers for 2012.

SOURCE: The Weather Network

For further information, maps or to arrange an interview with a meteorologist, please contact:

Stuart Terry
High Road Communications for The Weather Network
416-644-1376 [email protected]