This summer is kicking off a bit cooler than usual in southwestern Ontario.
The official start of summer happened on Sunday, June 21, at 4:24 a. m.
According to Environment Canada Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Peter Kimbell, the weather has been on the cooler side since mid-June.
“And that trend is going to continue for the next little while,” said Kimbell. “So if you asked me for the next day of 30 degree temperatures, probably not until the end of the month. And between now and then, it’s going to remain cool like we’ve seen the last few days with highs around 21 degrees.”
The average daytime high for this time of year in the region is about 26 Celsius. Kimbell mentioned we should expect daytime highs in the low 20s to stick around until just before Canada Day.
“Whenever we have warm temperatures, like a heat wave, we have a big ridge of high pressure and we’re seeing the opposite of that right now,” said Kimbell. “We’re seeing a big trough of low pressure kind of hanging over Ontario, and plaguing us with cooler than average temperatures. That’s going to continue until the end of the month; we might get a bit warmth by the last couple days of June.”
In its summer seasonal outlook, the national weather agency indicated that an El Niño transition is expected this summer and will take full effect later this year.
“El Niño occurs when the surface water temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become warmer than average,” read the outlook. “This rise in temperature changes atmospheric circulation and weather patterns around the globe, which can impact food supplies, energy systems, and influence extreme climate events such as wildfire risk and changes in air-quality conditions.”
Summer also marks severe thunderstorm season.
Environment Canada advises residents to keep an eye on weather forecasts, check AQUI and UV Index updates regularly, and take all weather alerts seriously.
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