Why was the Canadian winter so mild this year?
I think it had something to do with El Nino bringing mild winters in general Winter Forecast: The big picture and how El Niño plays in Is it a sign of Global Warming ? No. As you pointed out the previous two winters were brutal (by ON standards) and no one was running around proclaiming them a sign of the coming ice age.
Will this winter be another "coldest" one as that in 2013?
A lot of people in Western New York complained about the bitter temperatures last winter, but what they saw as bitter temperatures was actually average winter temperatures. The two previous winters had been so mild that after just two winters, people began to see that as what winters are supposed to be like. Winter has been bitter, but all that snow should help WNY gardensAlmanacs attempt to predict weather for entire seasons a year in advance, but they're so vague that they’re not very useful. Even 10-day forecasts are no more accurate than if you had simply looked at the climate data– the average temperatures for that date. Our short-term weather forecasts have become much more reliable in recent decades, but we still can’t make a weather forecast that is accurate nine days or more into the future, according to Nate Silver in The Signal and the Noise. Here's an article adapted from that book, but the book is more interesting and I highly recommend you read the book. The New York TimesEven our short-term forecasts have uncertainty in them. The forecasts don’t tell us that it will rain or won’t rain tomorrow; they tell us what the odds are that it will rain. If the forecast is accurate, when there’s a 20 percent chance of rain, it should rain 20 percent of the time. If there’s an 80 percent chance of rain, it should rain 80 percent of the time– 20 percent of the time it won’t rain.So how will this winter compare to last winter? Nobody can predict that with any accuracy.
What are winters like in Toronto, Canada?
While most people say we have a mild winter, it is important to put things into context.Over the last 20-30 years, Toronto has experienced milder winters than the past. This will probably swing the other way in the next 10-20 years pending on weather patterns.In the winter of 2015-2016, Toronto only received two winter storms worth mentioning, each leaving less than a 30 cms (12 inches) of accumulation. The lowest temperature I remember being -27 C (about 0F).We suffer from lake effect snow from Lake Ontario and Huron. During the winter, the jet stream dips well below Toronto bringing artic air. These air currents pick up moisture from the great lakes and causes bone chilling humidity. Such makes the temperature feel much lower than it is, and also brings a heavy snow (not the fluffy white stuff of northern parts of the province).People living north of Lake Simcoe report colder, but more bearable winter than that of Toronto. Even a heavy winter coat will not keep out the feeling of bone chilling cold.In the 60’s and 70’s the average snow fall per winter far exceeded 90 cm (3 feet). Temperatures stayed around -10c, which allowed for such accumulation.
World isn't ending in 2012?
No, it isn't. There are no theories, there were no prophecies, and there is nothing realistic in any of the 2012 scenarios. The entire 2012 hullaballoo is the work of crackpots and charlatans selling books, videos, movies, space in nonexistent shelters, and "2012 survival kits". That one really cracks me up. Doomsday means you DON"T survive. You won't find a single real scientist who believes any of the 2012 tripe. The crackpots take a bunch of scientific sounding words, throw them together into meaningless statements, and publish them on their websites. I guess they figure if they can't dazzle you with brilliance, they will baffle you with bullsh!t. In the absence of any real theories, if you want to hear the crackpots' claims and why they are not true, here are some of them Planetary alignment - It can't happen because the plants' orbits are not in the same plane. The planets will be less closely aligned in 2012 than they are now. If they could and did align, there would be no effect on us. The combined gravity at those great distances would have less effect on us than the gravity of the Moon. Alignment with the center of the galaxy. This is an apparent alignment that happens every year at the December solstice. It is not an actual alignment and has no effect on us. Polar Shift/Reversal. The magnetic poles are always shifting and it means nothing. An actual polar reversal can't be predicted and takes hundreds to thousands of years to complete. We wouldn't even know it was happening. Comet or meteor impact: There is no known body expected to impact Earth in 2012. Meteorites hit us every day. JPL/NASA is tracking all known larger bodies that could approach Earth and there are none expected to hit us in the next 100 years. Solar flares: the solar maximum is now expected to occur in mid 2013. It is an 11 year cycle and is no danger to life on Earth. It could have some effect on our satellites and electronics. Planet X/ Nibiru: These don't exist and can therefore have no effect on us.
What steps can I take to better handle the weather at Columbus, Ohio?
The cold is one thing. The other is all the gray and cloudy days that make Columbus one of the leading places in the United States for SAD (Seasonal Affect Disorder). The best way to combat both would be to embrace activities that take you out outside as much as possible. Brisk Walks (especially in the AM), running, ice skating and going to Blue Jackets or OSU games to be a part of others enjoying the outdoors despite the cold or gray. Start all this in the fall and be outside as much as possible so you have time to adjust as the temperature drops over the coming months. Embrace the beauty of fall, walk through the leaves, smell them and soak it up. Then do the same when the snow comes. Build a snowman, snow angles, snowball fights, just embrace it. It will make everything the more enjoyable. When you hide from the cold it will inevitably bring you down because it will prevent you from joining people out for activities. In Columbus you will find a sizable Asian population including many Indians, first and second generation. Vegetarian and vegan options abound. Columbus is city for foodies so enjoy the selection of restaurants. In terms of places to stay I'd recommend being on a bus line into the campus. Everything is easier that way plus you can avoid learning to drive in the snow. High Street just north or south of campus provide many options. So do Olentangy River Road, Lane Ave and King Avenue. Some of this will depend on what buildings you will spend the most time in at OSU. For instance if you are in medical then stay towards the south in the King Ave. area. When looking for a place to stay avoid some of the older places as they can be quite drafty. The apartments at Olentangy Village are very warm and it's next to a grocery store and bus line into campus. We kept our windows cracked open there in the winter because it was too warm! For clothing you will figure out what keeps you warm as the seasons change but the number one recommendation is...layers. Layering clothing can keep you warmer than just one really thick coat. I hope you enjoy your time there, it's a growing and wonder place so I hope you can find people and things you enjoy there.