News / GTA

Toronto winter blues: why the cold may be getting you down

In light of the city’s 27th extreme cold weather alert this year, the Star takes a look at what’s going on with the weather and its emotional repercussions.

A cyclist trudges through the snowy streets of Etobicoke last week during a storm. Many will remember this winter as the introduction of the term polar vortex, with Toronto’s unseasonable temperatures being matched by snowstorms extending to the southern U.S.



Toronto issued its 27th extreme cold weather alert Monday morning, the most from the city in one winter since 2008-09. With forecasts predicting unseasonably cold weather well into March, the Star took a look at what’s behind the bitter temperatures, why you might be feeling the “winter blues,” and if there are any benefits to a long winter.

What’s behind the freeze?

Although cold, climate historian Dagomar Degroot notes Toronto’s current weather is not unprecedented. January was our 16th coldest on record, he said, tying 1963’s mean temperature of -5.5C. Our coldest, in 1994, measured -12.4C.

Many will remember this winter for the “polar vortex.” Toronto’s unseasonable chill was matched by snowstorms extending all the way to the southern U.S .

Degroot warned against drawing direct links to climate change based on the weather, as the former happens gradually over a large area, while the latter is short-term and local.

He noted, however, that more extreme weather — like Toronto’s December ice storm — may be more likely in the future due to a warming planet.

For example, polar vortexes occur when “the Arctic warms and the polar jet stream tends to move less quickly,” Degroot said. “When it does, it changes from this tight band that sort of seals off the Arctic and its temperatures, to this meandering stream.”

In global terms, Degroot said, January was the fourth warmest month on record.

Mean Jan-Feb temperatures, 2000-2014
How cold has January and February been in 2014? zoom

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Why you may be feeling down

Dr. Robert Levitan is a professor of psychiatry and physiology at the University of Toronto and also works for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. One of his specialties is seasonal affective disorder , a clinical form of depression that affects 3 to 5 per cent of all Canadians.

Levitan stressed the disorder, which is caused predominantly by a lack of light in winter as opposed to cold temperatures, should not be trivialized as “winter blues.” Anyone questioning if they have it should consult a doctor.

But given SAD’s low prevalence, what are “winter blues”?

Levitan said up to a third of all Canadians may feel down during the winter for various reasons, including social isolation and lack of physical activity.

Ashley Boland of Blue Mountain resort said this year’s extreme weather alerts have reduced the number of skiers and snowboarders, despite the snow accumulation.

“There’s no doubt that some people really hate the cold,” Levitan said.

Another reason for the winter blues is its impact on sleep cycles. Lack of sunlight can result in the body producing too much melatonin, causing sleepiness and sluggishness.

Additionally, manual air heaters can dry out the body’s mucus membranes, leaving a person more likely to get sick.

As a climate historian, Degroot analyzes how climate and weather change affects people.

“Some researchers have found that suicide rates rose in Europe during the coldest winter of the little Ice Age, which was this colder climate between the 13th and the 19th centuries,” he said.

“But modern psychiatrists have actually found that suicides dip in winter and spike in the spring,” he said, explaining that a person who still feels sad once spring comes may realize the weather wasn’t at fault.

Degroot thinks winter blues may be partially attributed to people thinking they’re supposed to feel down, and thus resign themselves to it.

“It’s very difficult to find that connection between ‘Oh it gets colder and now we feel worse,’ ” he said.

Bright spots

For those who may be dreading the next few weeks of chilly temperatures, there are a couple things to be thankful for.

Mark Wales, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said all that snow will be great for ground moisture going into the spring and summer.

And despite concern over how the cold may affect crops like grapes and peaches, Wales said the frigid weather “means we really should get some good control over pests and diseases.”

Springtime may also see a brief reprieve from mosquitoes.

“All insects, including mosquitoes, will be negatively affected by the extreme cold temperatures,” said Tony Zammit, an ecologist with the Grand River Conservation Authority.

“Depending on the species, mosquitoes survive the winter as eggs, larvae and adults. Larvae require water in order to survive. Therefore, if water and soils freeze, species that overwinter as larvae would be impacted more by extreme cold than other species.”

Populations will eventually recover as temperatures rise, but it’s something.

Zammit said he is more optimistic that the extreme cold will limit the spread of blacklegged ticks (formerly called deer ticks), which carry Lyme disease.

Correction - February 27, 2014 : This article was edited from a previous version that misstated Dr. Robert Levitan's given name.