TORONTO –
Seasonal or higher than normal temperatures in much of the country will give Canadians a chance to enjoy the summer, but forecasts by a prominent national forecaster warn that the humidity could welcome quite a few months.
Chris Scott, chief meteorologist at The Weather Network, says the heat, combined with an active jet, will lead to excessive rainfall that passes through the prairies to Ontario and Quebec.
Although this “does not mean that there will be washing every day,” Scott says he expects “some rather intense storms from time to time.”
Scott says Western Canada is not ready to face the same conditions that led to last year’s devastating heat wave and wildfires in British Columbia.
The westernmost province is expected to gradually emerge from a cool spring and reach near-normal temperatures starting in June, which he said will slow snowmelt and delay the start of the forest fire season.
In the Rockies, the extremes of spring drought in Alberta and floods in Manitoba will begin to level off, he said, as prairie rainfall returns to more normal levels.
However, he noted that the threat of drought conditions remains in southern Alberta, which could be affected by the “epic heat” that is expected to cover areas south of the border.
“We will have to watch exactly where this big heat dome is placed,” he said.
“It really prepares the ground for thunderstorms … We can get heavy hail, strong winds on the prairies, and we think this summer is actually a pretty good chance to have a few more of these big storms than usual.”
In Ontario and Quebec, most of the region is likely to experience a “very hot and humid summer” that will not touch the levels of last year’s June heat.
“We will see very warm weather, very dry days,” he said before the start of the meteorological summer on June 1. The official start of summer is June 21.
“But when we get the rain settings, just be especially vigilant this summer, because we think these storms can really be a shock.”
Scott does not expect a duplication of the “extremely rare” strong winds and thunderstorms that passed through Ontario and Quebec on May 21, but urges Canadians – especially campers – to be vigilant when it comes to rapidly changing weather patterns.
The Atlantic provinces can expect rainfall above normal and temperatures above normal. These factors suggest a very active hurricane season in the region, he said.
“We can’t say exactly what storms are doing; the seasonal forecasts are a sketch, “he said.
“But this is a warning if you are in Halifax or Yarmouth – wherever you are in Atlantic Canada and honestly back in Quebec and Ontario. Be aware of the situation, especially in July and August with the trend of tropical storms and hurricanes. “
Temperatures should be below normal in the Yukon and Nunavut, while precipitation remains close to normal.
Around Hudson Bay, he said rain was expected above normal.
Scott noted that as extreme heat scenarios increase and will continue in this direction, some of the latest extreme weather events, such as severe thunderstorms, are more difficult to predict.
“We get more heat waves, absolutely 100 percent. We also get less severe colds, “he said.
“Meanwhile, you have this mixture of heavy rainfall, but then what happens to strong winds, hail and tornadoes? We don’t really know in this area. Maybe never, because it’s a very complicated part of the time.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on 31 May 2022
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