Mild and wet December weather puts a damper on most winter activities
A mild and wet December means a slower start for winter activities in the region.
Ice skating enthusiasts in Barrie don't have as many choices for outdoor skating rinks so far this winter.
Circle at the Centre ice rink at City Hall in Barrie, Ont., on Fri., Dec. 29, 2023. (CTV News/Molly Frommer)
City staff said with these poor weather conditions, they aren't sure what the near future will look like for municipally maintained outdoor ice rinks.
"We try to keep them open as best we can. Today is five degrees and rain, and you can see the surface of the centre here is slightly wet, but the surface is still solid. If it gets any warmer than this or any more precipitation, we may have to close this. This is kind of our breaking point. The natural outdoor rinks in our parks do rely on Mother Nature, so they do rely on much cooler temperatures, so hopefully later in January," said Kevin Datema, with the City of Barrie.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Muddy snowmobile trails in Victoria Harbour, Ont., on Fri., Dec. 29, 2023. (CTV News/Molly Frommer)
It's also been a rough start for snowmobiling season, with trails in the area muddy and wet with no snow in sight.
"The weather is just not cooperating. Every morning when you get up and look at the weather forecast, and it's another eight or 10 days without snow in the forecast, it's pretty depressing for our business, that's for sure, but we continue to do more trail prep and expand on what we've done so far and do a little bit more on the trials to make it better for when we do get snow," said Patrick Murray, Georgian Bay Snow Riders president.
Winter enthusiasts turn up at Mount St. Louis Moonstone in Coldwater, Ont., on Fri., Dec. 29, 2023. despite the mild and wet weather. (CTV News/Molly Frommer)
And while staff at Mount St. Louis Moonstone ski resort are happy with the turnout despite the weather, the numbers aren't quite what they are used to during the winter break.
"It's been quieter than usual over these days, but at the same time, we still have lots of people showing up, lots of beginners showing up and trying skiing," said Nicolas Huter, Mount St. Louis Moonstone manager.
"We've got 32 slopes open, all except one lift, so I think we're at 10 lifts now. It looks like you're in the mountains up there because you just disappear into the clouds, but it's pretty cool, and it's great to see everyone still coming out despite the weather."
Huter said they plan to make more snow and fully open next week once that's complete.
As for the long-range forecast, next week calls for more unseasonably mild temperatures, but the wet weather is predicted to come to an end.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.