Are you ready for some heat this summer?
We flipped from spring to summer just before 11 a.m. today, but we've already had a taste of it, with four days in April and May that nudged over 30 Celsius.
Environment Canada's David Phillips told Barrie 360 the norm for 30+ days is around seven, but admitted he's not sure what normal is anymore. "In recent years, my gosh, we've had a lot more than that. I mean, normal just doesn't exist anymore ... our summers have been warmer, they've been longer. We're getting days before summer begins and after summer with 30 degrees."
Phillips said this year's weather will likely be influenced by the El Niño phenomenon, a warming of the Pacific Ocean, which primarily affects winter conditions.
Looking back at the last significant El Niño event in 2015-2016, the second half of summer was particularly warm, with Barrie experiencing 32 days above 30 degrees Celsius. However, the preceding year had relatively normal temperatures, with only 10-12 days above 30.
Based on this comparison, Phillips predicted the upcoming summer might resemble last year's weather, which was slightly warmer than usual.
As Canadians have a tendency to embrace weather changes, the anticipation of a moderate summer with fluctuating temperatures might be more appealing to many. Phillips believes weather closer to normal or within expected ranges is often perceived as the best, providing a sense of comfort and familiarity. "When it's a scorcher or very cold, you remember it ... there's something about it that's not very pleasant."
banner image: Pexels
