Weather extremes in Canada

Last updated

This table shows record weather extremes in Canada.

Contents

RecordExtremeLocationDate
Highest Temperature 49.6 °C (121.3 °F) [1] Lytton, British Columbia June 29, 2021
Lowest Temperature−63.0 °C (−81.4 °F) [2] [3] Snag, Yukon February 3, 1947
Greatest Rainfall (in 24 hours)489.2 mm (19.26 in) [2] Ucluelet Brynnor Mines, British Columbia October 6, 1967
Greatest Snowfall in one season*2,446.5 centimetres (963.2 in) [4] Mount Copeland, British Columbia 1971–1972
Greatest Snowfall in one day145 cm (57 in) [5] Tahtsa Lake, British Columbia Feb 11, 1999
Highest Humidex reading52.6 C (126.7 F) [6] Carman, Manitoba July 25, 2007
Lowest Wind chill reading-78.9 C (-110 F) [7] [8] Kugaaruk, Nunavut January 13, 1975
Hottest Month (Ave. Max.)35.8 °C (96.4 °F) [9] Nashlyn, Saskatchewan July 1936
Coldest Month (Ave. Min.)−50.1 °C (−58.2 °F) [10] Eureka, Nunavut February 1979
Greatest precipitation in one year9,479 mm (373.2 in) [11] Hucuktlis Lake, British Columbia 1997
Least precipitation in one year19.9 mm (0.78 in) [12] Rea Point, Nunavut 1978
Heaviest hailstone292.71 g (0.65 lb) [13] Markerville, Alberta August 1, 2022
Strongest tornado F5 [14] 420–510 km/h (260–320 mph) Elie, Manitoba June 22, 2007
Greatest same-day temperature change+43°C (+77.4°F) [15] Tatla Lake, British Columbia January 5, 1982
Greatest one-day change in daily maximum temperature-40.5°C (-72.9°F) [16] Ghost, Alberta January 31-February 1, 1989

*A snowfall season is the amount of snow that falls between July 1 and June 30, spanning over the winter period.

Provincial extremes

ProvinceDriest PlaceAverage Annual Precipitation (mm)
Flag of British Columbia.svg  British Columbia Ashcroft 208
Flag of Yukon.svg  Yukon Komakuk Beach 161
Flag of Alberta.svg  Alberta Empress 291
Flag of the Northwest Territories.svg  Northwest Territories Mould Bay 111
Flag of Saskatchewan.svg  Saskatchewan Alsask 299
Flag of Nunavut.svg  Nunavut Eureka 76
Flag of Manitoba.svg  Manitoba Churchill 432
Flag of Ontario.svg  Ontario Big Trout Lake 609
Flag of Quebec.svg  Quebec Inukjuak 460
Flag of New Brunswick.svg  New Brunswick Belledune 970
Flag of Nova Scotia.svg  Nova Scotia Pugwash 1038.2 [17]
Flag of Prince Edward Island.svg  Prince Edward Island Long River 1046
Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador.svg  Newfoundland and Labrador Wabush 852
ProvinceExtreme Rainfall LocationMaximum Daily Rainfall (mm)Date
British ColumbiaUcluelet4891967-10
YukonQuiet Lake911972-7
AlbertaEckville2131970-6
Northwest TerritoriesFort Liard1001986-7
SaskatchewanCypress Hill1931998-6
NunavutCoral Harbour1281973-10
ManitobaRivers2392020-6
OntarioHarrow2641989-7
QuebecBarrage des Quinze1721932-8
New BrunswickAlma1791962-5
Nova ScotiaHRM>2502023-7
Prince Edward IslandCharlottetown1641942-9
Newfoundland & LabradorRed Harbour1992005-3

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of British Columbia</span>

British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada, bordered by the Pacific Ocean. With an area of 944,735 km2 (364,764 sq mi) it is Canada's third-largest province. The province is almost four times the size of the United Kingdom and larger than every United States state except Alaska. It is bounded on the northwest by the U.S. state of Alaska, directly north by Yukon and the Northwest Territories, on the east by Alberta, and on the south by the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Formerly part of the British Empire, the southern border of British Columbia was established by the 1846 Oregon Treaty. The province is dominated by mountain ranges, among them the Canadian Rockies but dominantly the Coast Mountains, Cassiar Mountains, and the Columbia Mountains. Most of the population is concentrated on the Pacific coast, notably in the area of Vancouver, located on the southwestern tip of the mainland, which is known as the Lower Mainland. It is the most mountainous province of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Scotland</span>

The climate of Scotland is mostly temperate and oceanic, and tends to be very changeable, but rarely extreme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Toronto</span>

The geography of Toronto, Ontario, covers an area of 630 km2 (240 sq mi) and is bounded by Lake Ontario to the south; Etobicoke Creek, Eglinton Avenue, and Highway 427 to the west; Steeles Avenue to the north; and the Rouge River and the Scarborough–Pickering Townline to the east. In addition to Etobicoke Creek and the Rouge River, the city is trisected by two minor rivers and their tributaries, the Humber River in the west end and the Don River east of downtown. Both flow southward to Lake Ontario at Humber Bay and Toronto Harbour respectively, which are part of the longer Waterfront, as well as Etobicoke Creek and the Rouge River.

The city of Vancouver, located in British Columbia, Canada, has a temperate oceanic climate. Its summer months are typically dry and modestly warm, while the rest of the year is rainy, especially between October and March. The region has frequent cloudy and overcast skies during the late fall, winter, and spring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipality of the District of Yarmouth</span> District municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada

Yarmouth, officially named the Municipality of the District of Yarmouth, is a district municipality in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Statistics Canada classifies the district municipality as a municipal district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography and climate of Winnipeg</span>

Winnipeg lies at the bottom of the Red River Valley, a low-lying flood plain with an extremely flat topography. This valley was formed by the ancient glacial Lake Agassiz which has rich deposits of black soil. Winnipeg is on the eastern edge of the Canadian Prairies in Western Canada; it is known as the 'Gateway to the West'. It is relatively close to many large Canadian Shield lakes and parks, as well as Lake Winnipeg. Winnipeg is bordered by tallgrass prairie to the west and south and the aspen parkland to the northeast.

A cold wave is a weather phenomenon that is distinguished by a cooling of the air. Specifically, as used by the U.S. National Weather Service, a cold wave is a rapid fall in temperature within a 24-hour period requiring substantially increased protection to agriculture, industry, commerce, and social activities. The precise criteria for a cold wave are the rate at which the temperature falls, and the minimum to which it falls. This minimum temperature is dependent on the geographical region and time of year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Australia</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stony Rapids</span> Community in Saskatchewan, Canada

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Tasmania</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">March 2012 North American heat wave</span> Weather event in North America

In March 2012, one of the greatest heat waves was observed in many regions of North America. Very warm air pushed northward west of the Great Lakes region, and subsequently spread eastward. The intense poleward air mass movement was propelled by an unusually intense low level southerly jet that stretched from Louisiana to western Wisconsin. Once this warm surge inundated the area, a remarkably prolonged period of record setting temperatures ensued.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weather of 2013</span>

The 2013 extreme weather events included several all-time temperature records in Northern and Southern Hemisphere. The February extent of snow cover in Eurasia and North America was above average, while the extent of Arctic ice in the same month was 4.5% below the 1981–2010 average. The Northern Hemisphere weather extremes have been linked to the melting of Arctic sea ice, which alters atmospheric circulation in a way that leads to more snow and ice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 North American cold wave</span> Weather event

The 1994 North American cold wave occurred over the midwestern and eastern regions of the United States and southern Canada in January 1994. The cold wave caused over 100 deaths in the United States. Two notable cold air events took place from January 18–19 and January 21–22. There were 67 minimum temperature records set on January 19. During this time, much of the United States experienced its coldest temperatures since a major storm on February 20, 1934.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January–March 2014 North American cold wave</span> Extreme weather event affecting parts of Canada and the United States

The January–March 2014 North American cold wave was an extreme weather event that extended through the late winter months of the 2013–2014 winter season, and was also part of an unusually cold winter affecting parts of Canada and parts of the north-central and northeastern United States. The event occurred in early 2014 and was caused by a southward shift of the North Polar Vortex. Record-low temperatures also extended well into March.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014–15 North American winter</span> Winter season in North America

The 2014–15 North American winter was frigid and prolifically wintry, especially across the eastern half of North America in the months of January–March. The season began early, with many places in North America experiencing their first wintry weather during mid-November. A period of below-average temperatures affected much of the contiguous United States, and several records were broken. An early trace of snowfall was recorded in Arkansas. There were greater accumulations of snow across parts of Oklahoma as well. A quasi-permanent phenomenon referred to as the polar vortex may have been partly responsible for the cold weather. Temperatures in much of the United States dropped 15 to 35 °F below average by November 19, following a southward "dip" of the polar vortex into the eastern two-thirds of the country. The effects of this dip were widespread, bringing about temperatures as low as 28 °F (−2 °C) in Pensacola, Florida. Following a significant snowstorm there, Buffalo, New York received several feet of snow from November 17–21. In addition, significant winter weather occurred throughout the season, including a major blizzard that struck the Northeastern United States at the end of January, another blizzard that affected much of the Northern United States days later in early February, and several significant snow events paired with very frigid temperatures for much of February.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January–February 2019 North American cold wave</span> Fatal cold wave in the US and Canada

In late January 2019, a severe cold wave caused by a weakened jet stream around the Arctic polar vortex hit the Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada, killing at least 22 people. It came after a winter storm brought up to 13 inches (33 cm) of snow in some regions from January 27–29, and brought the coldest temperatures in over 20 years to most locations in the affected region, including some all-time record lows. In early February, a concentration of Arctic air colloquially referred to as the "polar vortex" moved west, and became locked over Western Canada and the Western United States. As a result, February 2019 was among the coldest and snowiest on record in these regions. In early March, the cold once again shifted east, breaking records in many areas. In mid-March, the cold wave finally retreated, but combined with above-average temperatures, precipitation, and a deep snowpack, widespread flooding ensued in the Central US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Edmonton</span>

Edmonton has a humid continental climate. It falls into the NRC 4a Plant Hardiness Zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">February 2021 North American cold wave</span> Cold wave in 2021

The February 2021 North American cold wave was an extreme weather event that brought record low temperatures to a significant portion of Canada, the United States and parts of northern Mexico during the first two-thirds of February 2021. The cold was caused by a southern migration of the polar vortex, likely caused by a sudden stratospheric warming event that occurred the prior month. Temperatures fell as much as 25–50 °F below average as far south as the Gulf Coast. Severe winter storms also were associated with the bitter cold, which allowed for heavy snowfall and ice accumulations to places as far south as Houston, Texas, and contributing to one of the snowiest winters ever in some areas in the Deep South.

References

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  2. 1 2 "Top Weather Events of the 20th Century". Environment Canada. May 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  3. "WMO Region IV (North America): Lowest Temperature". World Meteorological Organization . Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  4. Greatest Snowfalls in North America (Reference) - TeacherVision.com
  5. cbc.ca/news/canada/blasts-from-the-past-canada-s-worst-snowstorms-1.1370387
  6. "Canada's Top Ten Weather Stories for 2007". Environment and Climate Change Canada. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  7. Canada’s Wind Chill Index
  8. Hourly Data Report for January 13, 1975
  9. Canada's National Climate Archive
  10. "Cold Places in Canada". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  11. "Extremes of Weather: Weather Records". The Canadian Atlas. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  12. "Monthly Data Report for 1978". Environment Canada . Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  13. "Western News - Northern Hail Project recovers record-breaking hailstone". Western News. 2022-08-03. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  14. "Taken by Storm - Elie Tornado". The Weather Network. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  15. "Daily Data Report for January 1982 [Tatla Lake BCFS]". Government of Canada. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  16. "Daily Data Report for January 1989 [Ghost RS]". Government of Canada. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  17. "Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 Station Data - Climate - Environment and Climate Change Canada". 25 September 2013.