Pattern reversal underway, here's who will feel the heat
Meteorologist, PhD
Sunday, August 13, 2017, 6:48 PM - Early August has featured hot weather across British Columbia, and warmer than normal temperatures across most of northern Canada.
However, there has been a remarkable lack of persistent heat elsewhere across Canada (and adjacent U.S.).
The map below shows the temperatures that we experienced during the first 10 days of August. The various shades of blue and green highlight the regions where cooler than seasonal temperatures have dominated, while the various shades of orange and red represent warmer than normal temperatures so far during August.
However, a pattern reversal is expected as we progress through mid and late August. The map below is our forecast for the dominate pattern.
For Ontario and Quebec, a more extended period of warm to hot weather is expected in a region where periods of warm weather have been rather short-lived so far this summer. This will likely include a few days with temperatures that approach or even exceed 30oC across southern Ontario and southern Quebec during late August and early September.
While the pattern reversal will take a while to develop across Eastern Canada, it is already underway across Western Canada, with cooler temperatures spreading into the region Sunday.
Cooler temperatures and higher humidity typically assist firefighters in bringing wildfires under control. However, there are no signs of the widespread heavy rain event that this region desperately needs, and stronger winds during the pattern change could more than offset the benefits of the cooler pattern.
Check back for updates as we continue to monitor the forecast.
