Is Summer Weather Here to Stay?

Near-to-above normal temperatures expected across most of Canada this summer

OAKVILLE, ON, May 28, 2018 /CNW/ - After a sluggish start to spring, summer weather has burst onto the scene across much of Canada, but is it here to stay? To let Canadians know what conditions they can expect during the most anticipated season of the year, The Weather Network has released its Summer Forecast for the months of June, July and August.

The Weather Network's forecast highlights a hot and dry summer for most of western Canada. Drought is a major concern across parts of the Prairie provinces while wildfires will be a growing concern later in the summer, especially across British Columbia. Temperatures will be close to normal from the Great Lakes to Atlantic Canada.

"This summer looks to be a warmer version of the pattern we saw across Canada last year, with the hottest weather anchored over western Canada," said Chris Scott, Chief Meteorologist at The Weather Network. "Ontario and Quebec will once again escape the hottest weather, but this summer will bring more heat than last year, along with ample opportunity for thunderstorms. Atlantic Canada looks to have the best combination of conditions with a warm summer and near seasonal precipitation, while drought is a worry for much of the Prairies and interior B.C."

Below is a more detailed look at the conditions that we expect across Canada this summer:  

British Columbia
Warmer than normal temperatures are expected across B.C. this summer, especially during the second half of the season when extended periods of hot weather are forecast across the interior of the province. A slow start to the wildfire season is anticipated due to near normal precipitation during June and wet conditions from the late melting of the above normal snow pack. However, there is concern that the hot and increasingly dry conditions later in July and August will result in another active wildfire season.

Prairies
A dry summer is predicted across the Prairies, and this is expected to have a significant impact on agriculture. Widespread drought conditions are already in place across parts of the central and eastern Prairies, and it looks like the drought could worsen and expand through the summer. Warmer than normal temperatures are forecast across Alberta and Saskatchewan with near normal temperatures throughout Manitoba. However, there are signs that parts of the Prairies could see an earlier than normal end to the growing season with the potential for an early arrival of cooler weather as we head into the fall season. 

Ontario and Quebec
A warm and sometimes stormy summer is forecast in southern Ontario and southern Quebec. Temperatures will be near normal across the region, except for areas around Hudson Bay which should be cooler than normal. The region is expected to see more hot weather than last year, especially during the first half of summer. However, changeable conditions are likely with several periods of cooler weather anticipated, especially during the second half of the summer. There is the potential for cooler weather to arrive sooner than normal as early fall approaches, threatening an early end to the growing season.  Throughout the summer, the changeable pattern and availability of abundant Gulf moisture should result in above normal precipitation due to rounds of thunderstorms across the region. 

Atlantic Canada
A cool start to the season should give way to more consistent warm weather during July and August. A humid summer is expected, which should result in warmer than normal temperatures at night, especially across southern areas. While there will be stretches of dry weather, periods of heavy showers and thunderstorms should bring rain totals to near normal for the season. The Weather Network's team of meteorologists will also be keeping a close watch on the tropics, especially late in the summer and into the fall.

Northern Canada
A warm summer is forecast for the Yukon and parts of the Northwest Territories, while a cooler summer is expected for much of Nunavut. Wildfires and smoke will be growing concerns, especially for the Northwest Territories during July and August.

Summer's heat and humidity, which is expected in abundance in many parts of Canada, means an increased threat for severe thunderstorm activity, including the risk for tornadoes. This is the time of year when Canadians need to pay extra close attention to the daily forecast as dangerous weather can develop rapidly. Canadians can prepare for changeable weather patterns by visiting www.theweathernetwork.com or by downloading The Weather Network App and creating an account for personalized and up-to-the minute forecast information.

The Weather Network: Summer 2018 Forecast
Region	Temperature Outlook	Precipitation Outlook
British Columbia	Above Normal	Near Normal, but Below Normal across the southern interior
Alberta	Above Normal	Near Normal western half of the province and Below Normal eastern half of the province
Saskatchewan	Above Normal except the far north which will be Near Normal	Below Normal
Manitoba	Near Normal, except Below Normal near Hudson Bay	Below Normal except Near Normal close to Hudson Bay
Ontario	Near Normal except Below Normal for far northern Ontario	Above Normal for most of Southern Ontario; Below Normal for parts of Northwestern Ontario; Near Normal elsewhere
Québec	Near Normal; Below Normal for most of Northern Quebec	Above Normal for southern Quebec and near Hudson Bay; Near Normal elsewhere
The Maritimes and Newfoundland and Labrador	Near normal except slightly Above Normal for Nova Scotia and southern Newfoundland	Near Normal, except above normal for parts of western New Brunswick
Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut	Above normal for Yukon and western NWT; Near Normal for eastern NWT; Near Normal for Nunavut except Below Normal for the Kivalliq Region	Near Normal, but Below Normal for parts of southern NWT

Complete Summer Forecast details, including regional breakdowns, maps and charts are available at www.theweathernetwork.com/summer.

About Pelmorex Corp.

Pelmorex Corp. is a market leader in operating multi-platform TV, Web and Mobile services in weather-related information categories under the leading brands The Weather Network, MétéoMédia, eltiempo.es and Clima.  The company reaches over 58M* users internationally with a focus on North America, Europe and LATAM. It also operates Canada's National Alerting Aggregation and Dissemination System (Alert Ready). Pelmorex has evolved to delivering information networks and data solutions to consumers, advertisers and enterprise clients. It launched the Pelmorex Data Solutions Division in 2016 and acquired Addictive Mobility in 2017.  Addictive Mobility operates mobile-first data management services as well as Digital Sales Platforms.

* Source: Global Reach reports 3 month average Dec 2017 – Feb 2018 Gap/Adobe/Numeris Data

SOURCE The Weather Network

Interview opportunities: The Weather Network meteorologists are available for interviews from May 28 to May 31, 2018 to provide regional forecasts and additional information about this year's Summer Forecast. To arrange an interview with a meteorologist, please contact: Madison Francis, FleishmanHillard HighRoad, 416-644-22 76, [email protected]