The big weather story this winter isn't the mild temperatures, it's the lack of snow, says David Phillips, Environment Canada's senior climatologist.
It appears this winter is shaping up to be as dry as the winter of 2006-07 when only 17.4 centimetres of snow had fallen by the end of January - book-ending two consecutive snowy winters, said Mr. Phillips.
As the third week of January wrapped up, 24 centimetres of the white stuff had fallen on the city of Toronto this winter - a relatively small amount when looking at snowfalls from years past.
"We have not been tested at all ... This time last year we had nearly 110 cm," said Mr. Phillips.
"Normally, this time of January we should have up to 60 centimetres."
So far, this winter has brought with it only one day when more than three centimetres of snow has fallen. This time last year Toronto had already experienced 15.