Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Hot and sunny, damp and cool? What to expect this summer according to Environment Canada

A couple sit and read on the Toronto waterfront, Thursday July 6, 2023. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press) A couple sit and read on the Toronto waterfront, Thursday July 6, 2023. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press)
Share

This summer, Canadians should expect above-average temperatures for most of the country, according to Jennifer Smith, a national warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada.

Speaking with reporters Tuesday as part of Environment and Climate Change Canada's (ECCC) seasonal outlook presentation for this summer, Smith says this past spring was a strong indicator as to what type of climate to expect as we get into the warmest part on the calendar.

"Looking back at the recent spring season, warmer-than-normal average temperatures were observed from the Great Lakes across Ontario, Quebec, and into Labrador, as well as across the north," Smith said during her presentation, noting that B.C. had experienced normal or below-normal temperatures throughout spring.

While temperatures are expected to consistently rise through the summer months, Smith expects the normal ebbs and flows of weather to be part of Canadians' day-to-day lives.

"Daily weather will vary, expect heat waves, cool spells and all the fluctuations that summer weather brings," she said.

Smith warned that Canadians should be ready for a warmer summer that could be met with drier conditions across the country. She also said after last season's wildfires, the worst in Canadian history, environmental experts took extra notice of air quality.

"The impact of wildfire smoke not only affects regions in proximity to fires, but possibly thousands of kilometres away," Smith said. "Knowing how to stay informed so that you can make the decisions for your own health and safety is key."

Smith concluded that seasonal forecasts do have a high degree of uncertainty, and that while this is a national outlook, the actual impact will "greatly depend on local day-to-day weather."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Two and a half years after losing her best friend and first love to suicide, Brooke Ford shared her story of grief and resilience at the CMHA Windsor-Essex Suicide Awareness Walk.

opinion

opinion How to make the most out of your TFSA

The Tax-Free Savings Account can be a powerful savings tool and investment vehicle. Financial contributor Christopher Liew explains how they work and how to take full advantage of them so you can reach your financial goals faster.

British Columbia saw a rare unanimous vote in its legislature in October 2019, when members passed a law adopting the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, setting out standards including free, prior and informed consent for actions affecting them.

An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

Local Spotlight

When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.

A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.

Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.

Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.

A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.

An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.

An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.