The heat is on and it’s October.
A heat dome over southern Quebec has temperatures in the high 20s C, setting new record highs, according to Environment Canada.
People are running, biking, playing soccer and tennis, and even using cooling sprays at public parks to beat the unprecedented heat.
Business is booming at Satay Brothers outdoor bar and restaurant at the Atwater Market.
“A lot of lemonades, cocktails, beers. Especially there is still tourists in town. It’s very good,” Frederick Chrun, Satay Brothers bartender, told Global News.
But the nice weather brings growing concerns about climate change.
August was the earth’s hottest month on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization. And last year the surface temperature of the globe was the sixth highest since 1880.
“This is clearly an issue that’s why I say, hey, enjoy the weather out today but be concerned about the climate,” David Phillips, Environment Canada senior climatologist, told Global News.
Phillips says it’s too early to confirm whether the recent hot temperatures in Montreal are a direct result of climate change.
“We don’t have enough records to be able to suggest if this is a permanent change,” he said.
But this year’s unprecedented forest fires in Canada and the extreme weather fluctuations are more evidence for people to be concerned.
“The evidence is irrefutable,” Phillips said.
For now, Montrealers are just soaking it up.