Fall forecast across Canada: ‘Summer will be reluctant to leave’

TORONTO – Summer may not be over yet, but it’s time to think about the fall.

And there’s good news: Environment Canada is forecasting a warmer-than-average fall season across the country.

“From coast to coast we’re calling for September to November to be actually warmer than normal,” said David Phillips, Senior Climatologist at Environment Canada.

Phillips also added that, as Canadians we tend to part with summer as soon as Labour Day weekend comes around, but the official start of fall isn’t until Sept. 22. We still have some summer to go.

The Prairies are currently experiencing temperatures well above normal. Many areas will be seeing days with highs near 30 C into next week. Though that weather can’t be expected to last, the month ahead will be a good one.

“It’s a gift to some people because they haven’t had too much. For the growers…you couldn’t order better weather,” Phillips said.

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When talking about above-normal temperatures, he said, it’s important to remember that above-normal applies to the month discussed. So, for example, while the October high for Toronto may be 12 C, anything above that is considered above-normal.

We must also remember that we do have four seasons, Phillips added.

“We tend to think we go from sweat to slush, but no, it’s not the case,” said Phillips. “We do have legitimate transition seasons. They tend to be tricky; they tend to go all over the place, but…based on our models it’s showing to be for most of Canada – maybe not so much in the Arctic – above-normal.”

Though it can be difficult to forecast for such a long range, Phillips said that even forecasting for September, their models show nice weather.

“Summer will be reluctant to leave.”

One of the great things to look forward to with the great weather is the fall foliage, a big tourist attraction in the East.

“The colour-change season in the east, if this forecast turns out to be good, will be glorious because the trees have loved this summer. The foliage is very thick, the leaves have not fallen yet. So with blue skies and white puffy clouds, with warm, comfortable temperatures, I think we could have a real technicolour show here in Eastern Canada.”