The new month means summer's arrival is officially within reach. Luckily for Torontonians, summer 2021 is poised to be beautiful, with an abundance of sunshine and warm temperatures expected.
As we kick off the first of June, The Weather Network has released its summer forecast, offering Canadians an overview of what they can expect weather-wise for June, July, and August.
“This summer will feature great weather for enjoying the beach and backyard barbecues, as most of Canada will see near normal or above normal temperatures, and more than the typical number of sunny days,” said Chris Scott, Chief Meteorologist at The Weather Network.
“However, there is a downside for areas that are expected to see a hot and dry summer. Drought conditions are possible for agricultural regions across much of Western Canada, along with a heightened risk for wildfires and poor air quality.”
READ: GTA Homeowners Are Renting Out Their Private Pools This Summer
According to Scott, there's also "a very active hurricane season" expected with an increased risk for impacts to Atlantic Canada.
Scott says that the hottest weather this summer (relative to normal) is expected across the southern Prairies, while the greatest uncertainty is across Ontario.
However, Scott said it would not come as a surprise if the hot weather to the west shifted far enough to the east to bring a hot summer to Ontario as well.
While some areas are set to see some stormy patterns, southern Ontario could tip either way as it is sandwiched between the anticipated dry pattern to the west and a wetter and stormier pattern to the south and east.
"However, we think that the most likely scenario for this region is that we see extended periods of dry weather, which will get broken up by strong storms at times and a few moisture-laden systems," said Scott.
The Weather Network says drought conditions across the southern Prairies are expected to extend east into parts of northern Ontario, including areas around Lake Superior -- which could see a heightened risk for wildfires. Above-normal temperatures are also forecast across this region.
Otherwise, residents can look forward to an abundance of sunshine with near-normal or slightly above-normal temperatures across much of the province, including in Ottawa and Toronto. Meanwhile, a cooler and wetter summer is expected near Hudson Bay and James Bay.
However, Scott did mention that the confidence in the summer forecast is lower across southern and central Ontario than it is elsewhere across Canada.
"It would not come as a surprise if the hot and dry weather to the west sprawled further east across the region and took over the summer pattern. However, this region also has the potential to see several strong cold fronts," said Scott.
The Weather Network
The region could also see strong thunderstorms that would potentially bring near-normal rainfall totals despite fewer rainy days than normal. An active storm track is also expected across the far north.
Scott added that The Weather Network is releasing another summer weather outlook for the region on June 20. Still, in the meantime, he expects that the month will be warmer than normal in the region, with temperatures expected to reach an average high of 25.8°C with an average of 13.9 days above 30°C.
With the province-wide stay-at-home order still effect, for the time being, we hope that everyone can make the most of the warm weather.
As for city-dwelling residents without access to outdoor condo amenities or waterfront properties, you could always look into renting a private pool as a way to beat the heat this summer.
