Split season: Prairie heat, West Coast rain and northern chill to collide
As May wraps up, Canada is experiencing all four seasons at once, with record heat, heavy rains and lingering chill depending on your whereabouts.
As May draws to an end, Canadians are faced with two very different versions of spring: one drenched, one burnt and a third locked in a chilly time warp.
While certain regions are finally breaking free from the pervasive May misery, a sharp weather gap is cutting across the country, creating a study in contrasts.
On one side, heavy rain and true Pacific wetness. On the other hand, the Prairie skies are parched and an unusual heat wave has shifted seasonal norms.
Rain on one coast; bone-dry on the other
Starting off in Prince Rupert, B.C., in which umbrellas are getting some exercise.
An active jet stream aimed at the North Coast is expected to dump approximately 100 millimetres of rain by the end of the month. In higher elevations, this figure could more than double.
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At the same time, a different story is unfolding in Regina, Sask. and throughout the Prairies. No rain is expected over the next seven days.
While not bone-dry, the region is expected to have a moisture deficit of 15-20 mm, which is a red flag for farmers and increases the risk of early fires.
Record warmth meets lingering chill
Churchill, Manitoba, is this week's true weather headliner. Originally renowned for its polar bears and frigid temperatures, it will be Canada's warmest city — at least in comparison to the usual spring chill.
High temperatures are expected to reach 22°C early this week, a staggering 16°C higher than the May average of only 6°C. It's the warmest stretch on record for this time of year.
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However, not everyone is catching rays. Up north in Whitehorse, Yukon, it's still sweater weather, with highs of 10-12°C — a drastic contrast to the Prairie heatwave. It's hard to believe it reached 34.1°C back in May 1983.
Whether you're soaked, sweating, or shivering, the final days of May are anything but boring.