July 2020 Summary

The third hottest July on record with average precipitation

The month started with a string of 10 days above 30°C, followed by days that were either at or above average (only one day was below average).  So it shouldn’t be a surprise that it was the third hottest July we have seen in the over 100 years of records in the region, 1.3 degrees away from the hottest back in 1955.

Other notes from the month: 

- the 15 days over 30°C was well above the July average of only 3.5 days
- the 10 days in a row over 30°C was the longest streak for any month since the 11 days from August 25th to September 4th 1953
- the 34.5°C reported on July 9th was the hottest July temperature since the 35.7°C on July 21, 2011 and the hottest day of any month since Sept 10, 2013 when it was 34.7°C

Although the total precipitation of 80.0 mm was just within the average range, almost all of it came during just 3 days of the month.  This means that there were also a few long dry streaks during the month, so it might have felt like it was drier than average.

The total precipitation so far this year of 583.1 mm is still above the average of 509.0 mm.

Summary for July 2020:
Maximum Temperature 34.5°C
Minimum Temperature 12.0°C
Average Daily High Temperature 29.6°C (Long term average 26.0°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 16.6°C (Long term average 14.0°C)
Total Precipitation 80.0 mm (Long term average 98.6 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1981-2010 data for the Waterloo-Wellington Airport)

 

June 2020 Summary

A hot June with average precipitation 

There were lots of really hot days in June, including 8 days above 30°C, while we typically average only 2 of those days.  With only one cool spell that lasted just 3 days, the average overall temperature was 1.6 degrees above average.  This made it the hottest June since 2005.

Although the total precipitation of 76.4 mm was only a little below the average of 82.4 mm, this masks the fact that it was really a very dry month.  This discrepancy is a result of over half the month’s precipitation coming in one day (41.8 mm on June 10th), but only about 15 mm came down the rest of the month. 

For the first half of the year, the total precipitation we have seen of 503.1 mm is well above the average total of 416.1 mm at the halfway mark.  Most of this above average total is still a result of the very wet January.

Summary for June 2020:

Maximum Temperature 32.2°C

Minimum Temperature 4.6°C

Average Daily High Temperature 26.2°C (Long term average 23.6°C)

Average Daily Low Temperature 12.2°C (Long term average 11.5°C)

Total Precipitation 76.4 mm (Long term average 82.4 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1981-2010 data for the Waterloo-Wellington Airport)

May 2020 Summary

A cold May with average precipitation

Clearly it was a very cold start to the month, followed by some very hot temperatures (more on that later).  But we didn’t see enough of the warmth to make up for the cold start, so overall the month was 0.9 degrees below average, making it the coldest May since 2008.

Part of the cold start to the month saw the temperature go down to -4.3°C on May 9, which was tied for the 3rd lowest May temperature in the 100+ year history of weather records in the region.  Then on May 26, the high temperature of 31.8°C, was the 5th warmest day in May on record.  OK I know this one is a stretch, but the temperature range of 36.1 degrees was the second largest range in May temperatures we have seen in the region.

As well, it was not only the latest date (May 16) for the winner of the UW Weather Station Contest (when the temperature goes above 20°C), but it was the latest 20°C day in the last 100 years (previous record May 13 in 1919).

A storm late in the month that brought us 21.6 mm of rain in one day put the total precipitation up to 85.2 mm, just above the average of 82.3 mm.  The total for the year so far of 426.7 mm is well above the average of 340.2 mm.

So can we finally call an end to the snow season!  The 5.5 cm of snow on May 11th was quite a surprise that late in the month, but it was not the latest snow in the region, as back on May 18, 1923 there is a reading of 9 cm.  With the snow we did get in May, the total for the 2019-20 snowfall season was 159.5 cm, as close as you can get to the average of 159.7 cm.


Summary for May 2020:
Maximum Temperature 31.8°C
Minimum Temperature -4.3°C
Average Daily High Temperature 17.2°C (Long term average 18.5°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 5.9°C (Long term average 6.4°C)
Total Precipitation 85.2 mm (Long term average 82.3 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1981-2010 data for the Waterloo-Wellington Airport)

2020 Weather Station contest winners

As if this year wasn't crazy enough already, the winning date for the UW Weather Station Contest was not only the latest date we have seen in the history of the contest, but also the latest first 20°C day in the over 100 years of weather records in the region (the previous record was May 13th, 1919)

The temperature first went above 20°C at 3:15 pm on May 16th.

Out of the 1191 entries, it was Valerie Christie whose guess of 2:15 pm was the closest to the correct time.  While in second place was Mary Grummett.

I have a lot of respect for everyone who chose dates that were much later than any winning date in the past 100 years.

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who entered.

And a question, should we allow people to choose dates in June next year?

April 2020 Summary

A cold April with just barely average precipitation

The warmth of March carried on into the first week of April, but after that, there was a two week stretch of cold temperatures.  Even though it warmed up a bit right at the end of the month, the overall temperature was still a little over a degree colder than average.

This was the first colder than average month since November of last year, as well it means that 4 of the last 5 Aprils have been colder than average.  Also, the highest temperature for the month was only 17.0°C, the last time it didn’t get warmer than that during April was back in 1995.

If it wasn’t for the 20 mm of rain we got on the last day of the month, it would have been a drier than average April.  But that last day brought the total up to 55.2 mm, below the average of 74.5 mm, but enough to just get it into the average range.

At the end of April, the total for the year of 341.5 is still well above the 264.4 mm we would expect for the first four months of the year.

The only measurable snow during the month was one day with 1.5 cm, this put the total for the snowfall season at 153.5 cm, very close to the average of 159.7 cm.


Summary for April 2020:
Maximum Temperature 17.0°C
Minimum Temperature -7.0°C
Average Daily High Temperature 10.2°C (Long term average 11.5°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -0.4°C (Long term average 0.8°C)
Total Precipitation 55.2 mm (Long term average 74.5 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1981-2010 data for the Waterloo-Wellington Airport)