Spring Goes Missing in Northern Canada

Apparently someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that it's suppose to be springtime in Northern Canada. According to the Winnipeg Free Press, as of June 11, the ground in Northern Manitoba was still completely covered in snow, the latest date ever measured. Residents in Churchill, Manitoba say they've never seen snow on the ground this late into the year and that some roads in the town remain blocked by snow drifts. Temperatures are nearly four degrees Celsius (that's almost eight degrees Fahrenheit) lower than normal.

The lack of spring in Northern Canada could wipeout an entire generation of migratory birds who give birth to chicks in the northern climes before heading south for winter. Scientists who study the habits of these birds say the late arrival of spring means that the birds won't be able to lay eggs until later in the year and that the chicks who hatch then won't be strong enough by fall to make the long flight south.

Scientists from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration though say the cold temperatures are actually a sign of climate change and global warming - that as the Arctic warms in general, there will be greater fluctuations in temperatures and that sometimes this will mean colder than usual temps.

"People often confuse climate with weather, and this spring is a weather phenomenon," said an Environment Canada spokesperson to the Winnipeg Free Press.