Where’s Spring? Still Waiting in the Wings
Saturday Forecast: Sunny Skies, Frostbitten Feelings
Mother Nature clearly hit snooze on spring this morning, and Dryden and Vermilion Bay are stuck with the fallout. As of 6:00 AM CDT, the temperature at Dryden Airport is holding a stubborn -20.9°C under mainly clear skies.
Humidity is at 73%, with a dew point of -24.4°C—perfect if you’re storing meat outdoors. Winds are drifting in gently from the east at 5 km/h, just enough to push the wind chill to a frosty -25°C. Visibility is decent at 16 km, and the pressure sits at 101.8 kPa—steady but doing nothing to warm our moods.
The forecast for today is a sunny one, but don’t let that cheerful sky fool you. It’s still very much winter in disguise.
Wind speeds will stay light, up to 15 km/h, while the high will claw its way to -5°C. Morning wind chills hover around -28°C—prime frostbite territory—before easing to a less brutal -7°C in the afternoon. The UV index stays low at 2, but the cold? That’s off the charts (again).
Tonight: Clouds, Light Snow, and No Relief
Tonight, things turn cloudy as we head into the evening, and by the time midnight rolls around, light snow is expected to begin its quiet takeover. Winds will remain mild at up to 15 km/h. The low drops to -10°C, with a wind chill near -8°C this evening and falling to -14°C overnight. It’s not blizzard territory, but it’s enough to remind you your shovel’s not going into storage just yet.
Sunday March 23: Here Comes the Snow Parade
Sunday brings a solid chance of snow—5 to 10 cm’s worth—as the clouds stay thick and unfriendly. Winds stay light again, but temperatures will barely reach -2°C. The morning will feel like -15°C with the wind chill, and the afternoon won’t feel much better at -6°C. With a UV index of just 1, even the sun has taken a snow day. Sunday night continues the cloudy trend with a 60 percent chance of snow and a low of -11°C.
Monday March 24: Technically Spring?
Monday may finally nudge us toward the spring column, with cloudy skies and a high of zero. Is it much? Not really. But it’s something. Monday night, skies clear and temperatures dip once more to -11°C, because winter never truly leaves quietly.
What to Wear?
Today demands all your cold-weather staples: insulated jacket, thermal layers, mitts, toque, and warm, waterproof boots. Frostbite risk is real in the morning, so skin coverage is a must. Sunday adds snowfall into the mix, so swap your parka hood for one with a snow shield and don’t forget the snow pants if you’re outside long.
Historical Snapshot
On March 22, Dryden has seen some wild swings. The warmest on record was a surprisingly pleasant 11.1°C in 1987, while the coldest? A biting -35.6°C back in 1965. So, today’s -21°C isn’t breaking records—it’s just continuing winter’s encore performance.
Weather Trivia Time!
Did you know Dryden is one of Canada’s smallest cities by population, but one of the snowiest in Northwestern Ontario? The area’s frequent snowfalls are thanks in part to being perched right in the crosshairs of shifting prairie and northern systems. Basically, if snow had a favourite vacation spot—it’s probably here.
