Canada’s November features extended fall, but winter lurks on the sidelines

November has its own history turns into a winter month across much of Canada, bringing cold and snow from coast to coast.

Luckily, the coming month looks set to reverse that trend—at least at first. We are looking forward to prolonged falling conditions across much of the country during most of November.

But watch for a rapid change towards the end of the month that could allow a sharp transition to wintry conditions to spread across much of the country.

DON'T MISS: Snow surprises could hit Canada in a normal November

Mild weather in October still starts in November

October ended as a warmer than normal month for almost all of Canada, with the exception of British Columbia.

The pattern that has led to these super-seasonal conditions looks set to continue into the first half of November.

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By early November, forecasters expect warmer-than-normal temperatures to cover much of the country from the interior of British Columbia east across the prairies and into northern Ontario.

November is expected to have a more active storm track than we've seen earlier in the season, and there will be more opportunity for coast-to-coast precipitation to spread. It's likely that the British Columbia coast and Atlantic Canada will be the primary targets for fall storms throughout the month.

As a result, residents in parts of southern and northeastern Ontario, as well as the northern half of Quebec, can expect near-seasonal conditions to begin early in the month.

Meanwhile, unseasonal conditions are favorable across Atlantic Canada, southern Quebec and eastern Ontario.

MUST SEE: There could still be severe hurricanes throughout the Atlantic in the fall.

Above-seasonal temperatures will spread eastward in November, with mild conditions expected in southern Ontario and southern Quebec. Only British Columbia and the East Coast are expected to experience near-seasonal conditions in the middle and second half of the month.

However, we are in for some big changes towards the end of the month as we move sharply into the start of winter.

While the exact timing of this pattern change remains uncertain, forecasters suggest below-seasonal temperatures could spread across the eastern two-thirds of Canada in the final days of November and into December.

This plunge into winter weather will spread from the central prairies east to the Maritimes, bringing cooler temperatures — and the chance of freezing precipitation — to those areas.

Snow begins to creep south in a normal November

Snow is not uncommon in Canada on average in November.

In most major cities from Calgary to St. John's, snowfall totals for the month are typically in the double digits – not always all at once, of course, but a few snowfalls here and there can add up quickly.

November is usually the start of the snow season downwind of the Great Lakes. When all correct conditions matchPowerful snow squalls that hit lakes can bury nearby communities in the blink of an eye.

WATCH: What does November typically look like in Canada?

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