An illustration provided by The Weather Network shows the 2025 summer forecast. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-The Weather Network
Canadians longing for sunshine and warmth will likely be pleased by a summer forecast that has an abundance of both, says Weather Network meteorologist Doug Gillham, but he cautioned the season “will highlight that you can get too much of a good thing.”
Droughts, wildfires and powerful thunderstorms could be in the works across parts of Canada this summer, with warmer-than-normal temperatures possible for the vast majority of the country, according to The Weather Network’s seasonal forecast for the months of June, July and August.
“I think most people are going to be happy when they see the forecast initially,” said Gillham, manager of The Weather Network’s forecast centre, ahead of the release of Wednesday’s forecast.
“But some disclaimers as well in that this summer can have some difficulties that come with extreme heat and not enough rain in parts of the country and stormy weather in other parts of the country.”
The forecasts of above- or below-normal temperatures and precipitation are based on average conditions over the past roughly 30 years. Yet, average Canadian summer temperatures have warmed by almost two degrees since the late 1940s, weather station records indicate, contributing to more intense wildfires, droughts and heat waves.
Drought could be a serious concern across the southern part of the Prairies where well above-normal temperatures are expected to combine with below-normal levels of precipitation, Gillham said. The upshot is that conditions are better leading into the summer than they have been in some recent tough drought years, such as 2012, he said.
Comments