Cold front cools Ontario, but another warm October weekend is on the horizon
Enjoy these bonus days of October warmth while they last because we're only a few cold fronts away from slamming the door on 20°C until spring
Southern Ontario holds onto warm October weather, but the final 20°C day of 2025 is certainly near.
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Temperatures reached 20°C across the region Tuesday before a cold front moved through later in the day.
Cooler weather is expected through the rest of the week, with temperatures struggling to climb into the mid-teens.
However, a rebound to the 20°C mark is forecast for Saturday and possibly Sunday, offering another glimpse of warmth before time runs out.
Over the past decade, Toronto’s final 20°C day has averaged around October 22, ranging from October 6 (2019) to as late as November 10 (2020).
Ottawa follows a similar trend, with the average final 20°C day also falling near October 22. Recent dates have ranged from October 10 (2018) to November 11 (2020).
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Not all Octobers have been this warm
While most Octobers provide at least one warm encore, a handful have completely missed the mark entirely.
According to Toronto's weather records, the only years when the city never surpassed 20°C were 1977, 1981 and 2009.
The earliest "final" warm day occurred on Sept. 17, 1977, when the temperature reached 23.5°C—and that was it.
Even a mild fall can change quickly. Fall 2020 was one of the warmest in recent memory, but snow fell quickly weeks later: Ottawa received 10.4 cm on Nov. 25, Toronto received 19.4 cm by Nov. 22 and Windsor received 8 cm on Nov. 30.
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20°C highs can even happen in December!
In December, temperatures can reach 20°C, which is unusual but not impossible.
Historical outliers include Dec. 31, 1875 in Windsor (20.0°C), Dec. 14, 2015 in Welland (20.1°C) and a pair of readings on Dec. 3, 1982, when both Toronto (20.0°C) and Hamilton (21.2°C) made it feel like fall would never end.
Another shot at 20°C this weekend
Milder-than-normal weather is expected to persist through late October, including this weekend, with another opportunity for daytime highs near 20°C.
These warm days are winding down, as just a few cold fronts could end the 20°C weather until spring. Early November may bring a shift towards near- or below-seasonal temperatures, with a colder pattern potentially developing.