A jump in stomach bugs occurs during the colder months. Here's why

In February 1983, a blizzard buried Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia in up to two feet of snow. In January 2016, another historic blizzard shut down the same cities. Both events struck during Super El Niño winters, which most people expect to be mild. Now an even stronger Super El Niño is building toward its December peak ahead of Winter 2026/2027. The latest October forecast data points to a milder northern U. S. and southern Canada, an active and stormy South, and a mild Europe. It also shows a notable shift toward a colder, snowier south-central and eastern U. S., and an unusual Polar Vortex disruption signal around mid-winter. I will break down what shifted in the latest winter forecast data, how the season is expected to unfold, and which other major winter storms past Super El Niño winters delivered. You can also check the updated Winter Forecast Explorer for every state, province, and country across the United States, Canada, and Europe, with the latest temperature and precipitation forecasts.

Toronto and Montreal have remained above the freezing mark every day for almost six months. While frosts and even some snowflakes have intruded across parts of Ontario and Quebec in recent weeks, the two cities have yet to reach that magic number. What’s even more remarkable is that a handful of communities across the southern United States have already dipped to the freezing point--and some have even seen accumulating snowfall. DON’T MISS: Official: Canada records first -30°C reading of the seasonThe last time we saw a freezing temperature in either Toronto or Montreal was the second-to-last week of April. Toronto hit -1.3°C early on April 20, while Montreal dipped to -2.0°C the following morning. Our average first frost in both cities occurs right around the middle of October. But warmer-than-normal years can see this milestone slide several weeks past due. Montreal once had to wait 207 consecutive days for its first frost, with the city’s first subfreezing temperature in 2017 waiting until Nov. 7. The latest Toronto’s had to wait to hit the zero-degree mark was Nov. 13, 2022.

Tropical cyclones top the list of nature’s most powerful storms. Larger than tornadoes and more intense than any single thunderstorm, these systems can change the landscape when they swirl ashore. A handful of tropical cyclones take full advantage of their surroundings to achieve the apex of their potential, the strongest storms nature can produce. DON’T MISS: What’s the difference between hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones? Tiny fraction of storms achieve upper limitsOnly about 4 per cent of all the world’s recorded tropical cyclones have reached the equivalent of Category 5 strength. Most tropical cyclones are relatively weak and short lived because it’s tough for all the necessary ingredients to align just right. But explosive development can result when all those factors come together in perfect harmony. Strongest Winds: Hurricane PatriciaAn exceptionally favourable setup off the western shores of Mexico in late-Oct. 2015 allowed Hurricane Patricia to grow into the world’s strongest hurricane since reliable observations began in 1966.