Milder winter predicted for northeastern Ontario

After two long, cold winters in northeastern Ontario, Environment Canada is predicting a fairly mild winter this year thanks to the effects of El Nino.

In fact, this El Nino weather pattern is widely expected by climate experts to be one of the strongest ever recorded.  

• 2015 will be hottest year on record — until 2016, WMO predicts

• Strongest El Nino in 15 years playing out in 'uncharted territory,' WMO says

Dave Phillips, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said at this point, he expects the already above-average temperatures to continue in the northeast. 

"November, my gosh, was almost 3 degrees warmer than normal! I mean, you had some snow — I think 20 centimetres of snow in Sudbury," he said. "Last year you had 60 centimetres in November." 

"There's no mystery here. When you get an El Nino this strong — the last one we had was '97, '98 — it generally keeps that polar vortex away and gives us those mild days." 

 Listen to the complete interview with Dave Phillips here. 

Morning North6:42Weather guru David Phillips says winter should be milder this year

It's December and though we've had a taste of winter here and there, it really doesn't feel like old man winter has truly exercised his squatting rights in the northeast yet. We spoke about winter 2015/16 with David Phillips of Environment Canada.