Summer in Canada steams ahead in August, with a few hints of fall
Canada’s steamy August outlook holds plenty of heat—with the opportunity for a few sneak peeks at fall
Welcome to August! This remains a toasty, humid, and sometimes stormy time of year for many communities across Canada. What’s in store for your weather during the month ahead?
Forecasters see summer rolling along as we head through August—but with some areas experiencing a few hints of fall, as well.
Visit our Complete Guide to Summer for an in-depth look at the Summer Forecast, tips to plan for it and much more!
August starts with a divided pattern across Canada
We’ll kick off the month with a divided pattern draped across the country.
A brief period of cooler weather is settling into place across much of Eastern Canada to start August. Meanwhile, warmer-than-normal temperatures will dominate areas from British Columbia all the way through northwestern Ontario.
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Early August will also see a decent amount of rainfall pushing into portions of British Columbia and Alberta. Some sporadic rain could even fall across parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba where wildfires are currently contributing to poor air quality for large portions of the country.
The eastern cooldown won’t last long. We’ll see above-seasonal temperatures quickly return to Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada as we enter the second week of the month.
Variable conditions, warmth return for the second half of August
Looking ahead to the second half of the month, warmer-than-normal temperatures are expected to dominate from Ontario to Atlantic Canada, as well as across most of B.C. However, we’ll still see a few doses of cooler air interrupt the warmth.
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Folks on the Prairies can expect more changeable conditions through the middle and end of August.
Periods of hot weather will be interspersed with a risk for longer stretches of cooler conditions—a back-and-forth that may result in overall temperatures that average out closer to seasonal for the remainder of the month.
Average temperatures will slowly begin to decline through August. Occasional doses of cooler air, episodes of dew and fog in the morning, and shrinking daylight hours will all combine to provide hints of fall as we progress through the month.
Watching the tropics for potential hazards
August marks a distinct uptick in tropical activity across the Atlantic basin.
Forecasters largely expect an above-average season this year—and there are signs that the Atlantic will come to life close to schedule as a favourable pattern develops during the middle and latter portions of August.
Anyone in Atlantic Canada should prepare for hurricane season well before any storms have a chance to threaten the region. Make sure you’re prepared for potential flooding, evacuations, wind damage, and power outages.
The remnants of tropical systems hitting the U.S. can even track into Ontario and Quebec, bringing a risk for flooding, high winds, and tornadoes across the region.