Heat returns for the hottest period of the entire year in southern Ontario
A pattern change will turn up the heat in southern Ontario, just in time for the hottest days of the year according to climatology
If you haven't felt like taking the plunge into southern Ontario's chilly lakes or even braving an unheated pool so far this summer -- you're likely not alone! July has certainly gotten off to a sluggish start temperature wise across the region, with daytime highs trending near to below average so far this month.
But as more vacation time gets booked and we hit the heart of summer, an upcoming pattern change will see a return to more consistent high heat. This will also align perfectly with when we historically see the hottest days of the year.
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Climatologically speaking, the period between July 15 - 31 is when, on average, temperatures will hit their peak highs for the entire year in southern Ontario.
In Toronto for example, in the first half of July on average we see 3.3 days at or above 30°C, but during the second half of the month, we will generally hit 4 days. By August, those days drop off to 2.6, falling even further to just 2 days above 30°C for the last half.
This year, Toronto has only seen one day over 30°C for the first half of July.
Right on cue and for the week of July 18, our temperatures will start to creep up and hit the high 20s to low 30s for a good part of the week. This is in part thanks to the jet stream starting to shift north, allowing for more warmth to spread into the area.
The long range pattern also suggests that we will see periods of warmer weather to end off the month.
So if you're a heat lover or are looking to cool off lakeside, you may want to consider using the next couple of weeks as prime vacation days to make the most of the true summer warmth while we have it.
