June 2025 Summary

June was wet with average temperatures 

There were a few hot spells in June along with a few cooler spells, while the warmest day came at the end of the month.  All of this resulted in an overall temperature just 0.2 degrees above average, well within the average range.

An interesting reset came when the temperature started at 27.3°C in the afternoon on the 13th and went down almost continually until the morning of the 15th reaching a low of 8.1°C. 

The two wettest days of the month were the 17th and 18th when 13.2 mm and 29.6 mm of rain came down.  This helped to put the total for the month of 102.0 mm ,well above the average of 71.0 mm.  It also resulted in the total precipitation we have seen in the first half of the year of 523.4 mm going even further above than the average total of 416.1 mm.

Summary for June 2026:
Maximum Temperature 32.5°C
Minimum Temperature 6.6°C
Average Daily High Temperature 24.5°C (Long term average 24.2°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 12.8°C (Long term average 12.7°C)
Total Precipitation 102.0 mm (Long term average 71.0 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2025 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

May 2026 Summary

A dry and cold May 

It was cold for the first half of the month followed by a few hot days in the second half.  But these hot days couldn’t make up for the proceeding cold and the overall temperature was more than a degree below average.  This made it the coldest May since 2020.

The temperature last went below zero on May 12, which is about 5 days later than the average date in the history of the Soulis memorial weather station. 

The only really wet day in May was the 25.6 mm on the 23rd, apart from that there was only one more day of more than 10 mm.  Consequently, the total for the month was only 55.2 mm, which is much lower than the average of 73.1 mm.

After a few wet months, this dry month brought the total for the year at 421.4 mm, closer to the average of 340.2 mm.

Summary for May 2026:
Maximum Temperature 29.1°C
Minimum Temperature -1.5°C
Average Daily High Temperature 17.7°C (Long term average 19.2°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 6.5°C (Long term average 7.3°C)
Total Precipitation 55.2 mm (Long term average 73.1 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2025 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

April 2026 Summary

 A warm April that was the wettest in 15 years

There were warm and cool waves during the month, but overall the warm temperatures won with an overall temperature a little more than one and a half degree above average.  The longest streak of warmer temperatures were in the middle of the month with almost a week close to 20°C.

Nearly 100 mm of precipitation fell during the first half of the month, the second half was drier, but the total still came in at 130.4 mm.  This made it the sixth wettest April in history of records in the region and the wettest since 2011.

So far in 2026, we have had three of the four wetter than average months.  As a result, the total for the year of 366.2 mm is well above the average of 264.4 mm.

We got 2.0 cm of snowfall during April putting the total at 241.5 cm.  This means we are (probably) ending the 2025-26 snowfall season as the third highest in the region (and of course much higher than then the average of 159.7 cm).  

Summary for April 2026:
Maximum Temperature 22.1°C
Minimum Temperature -7.6°C
Average Daily High Temperature 13.4°C (Long term average 11.8°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 2.6°C (Long term average 0.9°C)
Total Precipitation 130.4 mm (Long term average 76.4 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2025 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

March 2026 Summary

A warm March with the most precipitation in 15 years

The month of March had a week of warm temperatures at the beginning of the month, two very warm days, and very few colder days.  The result was an overall temperature that was more than one and half degrees above average, making it the first warmer than average month since last October.

During the last days of warm temperatures, the annual weather station contest ended at 3:45 pm on the 30th when the temperature first hit 20°C. Congratulations to the contest winner Sarah Nichol.

There were three really wet days during March including over 35 mm on the 31st.  The total for the month was 128.2 mm, almost double the average of 65.8.  This was the wettest March since 2011 and the sixth wettest in the history of records in the region that go back to 1914.

After a strong start to the snowfall season, there were only 13.5.0 cm, about half the average of 26.5 cm.  This makes the total for the snowfall season at 239.5 cm, clearly well about the average of a typical season of 159.7 cm.  For now this is the third highest total for a single snowfall season in the region, but of course there can still be snow in April.

Summary for March 2026:
Maximum Temperature 20.4°C
Minimum Temperature -19.3°C
Average Daily High Temperature 6.5°C (Long term average 4.4°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -4.1°C (Long term average -5.3°C)
Total Precipitation 128.2 mm (Long term average 65.8 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2025 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

February 2026 Summary

A cold and dry February

It was very cold the first week and half of the month, with the -28.7°C low on the 9th being the coldest temperature we have seen in 4 years.  The rest of the month was noticeably different, with fluctuations both above and below average, along with some temperatures in the high single digits.  However, these warmer temperatures were not enough to offset the cold start, with the overall temperature coming in almost one degree below average.

For the entire meteorological winter (December-January-February), the average temperature was two degrees below average, which was the coldest winter since 2014-15.

There wasn’t a lot of precipitation in the first half of the month and while there was more in the second half, the total of 33.0 mm was just about the half of the average of 62.7 mm.

After many months of very high snowfall, the total for February of 19.5 cm was well below the average of 30 cm.  The total so far this snowfall season of 226.0 cm is now tied for first place for the end of February.  But unless we get a lot more in March it will likely not be the snowiest season we have seen in the region.

Summary for February 2026:

Maximum Temperature 9.2°C
Minimum Temperature -28.7°C
Average Daily High Temperature -1.1°C (Long term average -1.0°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -12.2°C (Long term average -10.4°C)
Total Precipitation 33.0 mm (Long term average 62.7 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2025 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

January 2026 Summary

A cold and very snowy January

The couple of warm days in the first half of the month were more than offset by a very cold week at the end of the month.  During those days, the temperature went above -10°C for only a few hours and during four of the days it went below -20°C.  The overall temperature was more than one and half degrees below the average.

The total precipitation of 74.6 mm was just a little above the average of 69.8 mm.  But the big story was of course the snowfall, the 89.0 cm was over twice the average of 43.7 cm and the fourth highest for any January.

Overall for the snowfall season we have had 206.5 cm compared to the average of 95.3 cm for this point in the season.  This is the most snow we have had at the end of January in the history of weather records in the region, just ahead of the winter of 2008-09 by about 5 cm.

Summary for January 2026:

Maximum Temperature 11.4°C
Minimum Temperature -25.0°C
Average Daily High Temperature -4.3°C (Long term average -2.2°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -11.8°C (Long term average -10.3°C)
Total Precipitation 74.6 mm (Long term average 69.8 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2025 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

2025 Summary

E.D. Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo Annual Summary - 2025

The biggest weather story of 2025 again was the temperature, not overall for the year, just part of it.  These were the months of March, April, June, and July that were all more than 2 degrees above average.  The overall temperature for the 5 months between March and July were the second warmest in the history of the region, where records go back over 100 years.  These months also included the third highest temperature ever recorded in the 28 year history of the Soulis Memorial Weather Station.  The overall average temperature for 2025 was half a degree above average, which tied it with 2001 as the 15th warmest year in the region’s history.

The year started out very cold with some of the most frigid days we have seen in a few years.  The temperature went below -20°C for three days in a row, which had not happened since January of 2022.  The cold temperatures of January continued into the first 3 weeks of February, before we finally saw some warmer temperatures with six days of highs above zero in the last week.  Looking at the entire meteorological winter (December-January-February), the average temperature was a little more than one degree below average, making it the coldest winter since 2014-15.

Both March and April were more than 2 degrees above average, with April coming in as the warmest since 2017 and the third warmest in the history of the station.  A warmer first half May was offset by a cooler second half, leading to an overall temperature that was right on the average for the month.  

With one of the most extreme June heat waves we have experienced, it is not surprising that it was the sixth hottest June in the history of weather records for the region. While the high of 35.0°C on June 24th was the third highest temperature ever recorded at the station.

There were multiple heat waves throughout July and 18 days above 30 degrees, the overall temperature was an amazing two and half degrees above average.  This resulted in the month being the fourth hottest in the history of weather records in the region and the hottest since 1955.  August started out very warm, but this ended on the 16th with the temperature going back closer to average for a week and then the month ending with a week of below average temperatures.

Overall the meteorological summer (June-July-August) was very hot, the temperature was over one and half degrees above average, this made it the hottest since 1955 and the fourth warmest in the history of weather records in the region. 

Although there wasn’t a day above 30°C in September or October, there were still lots of very warm days resulting in an overall temperature that was one degree above average for both months.  The temperature first went below zero at 4:30 am on October 9, about 5 days later than the average.  This year the growing season was 153 days, less than the average of 160 days.

It cooled off a bit at the end of the year starting in November followed by the first half of the December that had many daily lows more than ten degrees below average.  The overall temperature was a bit more than 3 degrees below average, making it the second coldest December in the last 20 years.

The first three months of the year experienced pretty close to average precipitation, followed by a very wet April.  This included April 3rd which was one of the wettest days in the history of the region, overnight the precipitation started as a wintery mix before changing over to steady rain that peaked in the late morning.  The total for the day was 78.8 mm, the wettest single day since Jan 11, 2020.  Then the next few months were all just a little above average followed by a dry August.

Then with only 10 mm of rain in the first 20 days of the month, it was looking like it could have been one of the driest Septembers on record.  But then we received 44.8 mm of rain on the 21st, which was the fourth wettest September day in the history of the station.  The total for the month ended a bit above average followed by a dry October.  After a close to average November, the precipitation for December was going along mostly average before the almost 50 mm on the 28th that resulted in a wet month.

The overall precipitation for the year was 943.2 mm, above the average of 869.6 mm.

The calendar year of 2025 had many snowy months.  The 68.5 cm in January was 50% more than the average, followed by the 77.5 cm in February that was more than double the average.  The overall total for the 2024/25 snowfall season was 194.0 cm, compared to the average of a typical season of 159.7 cm.

The next snowfall season started with November coming in at 59 cm which was the second highest for the month in the region.  December had a bit less at 54.5 cm of snow, but still much more than the average of 30.7 cm for the month.  Thus in the first 2 months of the 2025/26 snowfall season there was already over half of the average total.

Frank Seglenieks
E.D. Soulis Memorial Weather Station Coordinator

Summary for 2025 (averages from 1998-2024 data for Soulis Memorial Weather Station):

Average Daily High Temperature: 13.76°C (average 12.63ºC)
Average Daily Low Temperature: 252°C  (average 2.62ºC)
Total Precipitation: 943.2 mm (average 870.7 mm) 

Extremes for 2025 (all time Soulis Memorial Weather Station extreme in brackets):

Highest temperature:
35.0°C Jun 25 8:30 pm (35.7 °C July 21, 2011 3:00 pm)

Highest humidex:
45.9 Jun 22 8:15 pm (47.6 July 17, 2013 5:00 pm)

Lowest temperature:
-23.1°C Dec 8 7:00 am (-35.5 °C Feb 16, 2015 7:00 am)

Lowest windchill:
-35.0 Jan 21 6:45 am (-47.3 Feb 15, 2015 6:15 am)

Greatest temperature drop in 15 minutes:
-5.3°C Jun 5 2:00 am (-9.5 °C July 19, 2013 5:00 pm)

Greatest temperature drop in 60 minutes:
-8.8°C Jun 25 4:15 - 5:15 am (-11.8 °C July 19, 2013 4:45-5:45 pm)

Greatest temperature rise in 15 minutes:
6.4°C Jan 24 8:45 am (8.6 °C Jan 2, 2001 6:15 am)

Greatest temperature rise in 60 minutes:
8.4°C Jan 24 8:15 - 9:15 am (12.2 °C Jan 2, 2001 4:45-5:45 am)

Highest precipitation in 15 minutes:
14.6 mm Jun 28 7:00-7:15 am (24.8 mm Jul 10, 2020 6:45-7:00 pm)

Highest precipitation in 60 minutes:
29.4 mm Apr 3 10:00-11:00 am (57.4 mm Aug 2, 2014 2:30-3:30 pm)

Highest Precipitation in 1 day:
78.8 mm Apr 3 (88.0 mm Sep 22, 2021) 

Highest 15 minute average wind speed:
29.9 km/h Feb 26 1:45 pm (44.6 km/h Mar 9, 2002 6:30 pm)

Highest wind gust (only available since 2015):
38.5 km/h Apr 30 6:45 pm (44.4 km/h Apr 13, 2015 2:30 pm)

Last time the temperature went below 0 before the summer:
May 9 4:45 am (Has ranged between Apr 26 - May 23)

First time the temperature went below 0 after the summer:
Oct 9 4:30 am (Has ranged between Sep 19 - Oct 29)

Length of frost-free season
153 Days (Has ranged between 129-186 days)

Highest daily low temperature:
23.8°C Jun 24 (25.3 °C Aug 1, 2006)

Lowest daily high temperature:
-12.4°C Jan 22 (-20.6 °C Feb 15, 2015)

Largest daily temperature range:
24.5°C May 12 (29.6 °C Feb 19, 2007)

Smallest daily temperature range:
2.30°C Dec 30 (0.45 °C Dec 7, 2005)

December 2025 Summary

A very cold and snowy December

During the first half of the month the temperature was very cold, with many daily lows more than ten degrees below average.  The second half was warmer and actually a bit above average.  However, with the cold start, the overall temperature was a bit more than 3 degrees below average, making it the second coldest December in the last 20 years (the coldest was 2017).

There was also an interesting spike in the temperature early in the morning of the 29th where it went from 0.8°C to 8.9°C in an hour, then down to 4.8°C an hour later and well below zero a few hours after that.

The precipitation for December was going along mostly average before the almost 50 mm on the 28th pushed the total to 113.2 mm, well above the average of 72.1 mm.

There was a little less snowfall this month than the previous month, but the 54.5 cm was still well above the average of 30.7 cm and the snowiest December since 2008.  With two months of very high snowfall, the total so far this snowfall season of 113.5 cm is well over twice the average of 41.8 cm.  Also, since we haven’t had any mid-winter thaws, most of that snow is still around.

Summary for December 2025:

Maximum Temperature 8.9°C
Minimum Temperature -23.1°C
Average Daily High Temperature -0.7°C (Long term average 0.7°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -11.1°C (Long term average -5.9°C)
Total Precipitation 113.2 mm (Long term average 72.1 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

November 2025 Summary

The second snowiest November with average temperature and precipitation

It was never really warm or very cold during November, although there were a couple of cooler spells that resulted in the average for the month being 0.7 degrees below average (but this is within the average range).

A large snowfall at the end of the month brought the total precipitation up to 82.4 mm, not too far above the average of 71.9 mm.  However, it was still the second wettest November in the past decade.  The total precipitation for the year of 830.0 mm is just a whisker below the average of 832.9 mm.  

Not only did we have a very early first snowfall on Nov 9, but also over 30 cm on Nov 28.  This put the total for the month at 59 cm, well above the average of 11 cm and more than any November snowfall in recent history.  The only November I could find with more was way back in 1950 when they had 105.4 cm, including an impressive 61 cm on Nov 24.

Summary for November 2025:

Maximum Temperature 13.4°C
Minimum Temperature -6.6°C
Average Daily High Temperature 6.3°C (Long term average 7.2°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -1.2°C (Long term average -0.8°C)
Total Precipitation 82.4 mm (Long term average 71.9 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

October 2025 Summary

A warm and dry October

After a hot start to the month, with temperatures getting close to 30°C, the rest of October was pretty close to average.  But this warm start to the month was enough to put the overall temperature a little more than a degree above average, putting it into the above average range.

The temperature first went below zero at 4:30 am on October 9, about 5 days later than the average.  The growing season is defined as the time between the last below zero temperature in the Spring to the first time it happens in the Fall.  This year the growing season was 153 days, less than the average of 160 days.

It was very dry during the first half of the month and although the second half saw some more precipitation, the total for October was only 49.8 mm, well below the average of 81.0 mm.  This was also reflected when looking at the daily totals where the wettest day only had 11.6 mm of precipitation.

This dry month put the total for the year of 747.6 mm very close the average of 750.6 mm.

Summary for October 2025:

Maximum Temperature 29.2°C
Minimum Temperature -3.1°C
Average Daily High Temperature 16.2°C (Long term average 14.2°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 4.7°C (Long term average 4.6°C)
Total Precipitation 49.8 mm (Long term average 81.0 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

September 2025 Summary

A hot September that started out dry and then got wet

Although there wasn’t a day above 30°C in September, there were still lots of very warm days in the middle of the month, resulting in an overall temperature that was one degree above average.  But there was quite a contrast between the daily high temperatures (2.6 degrees above average) and the daily low temperatures (0.6 degrees below average).  In fact, the average daily high temperature of 24.6°C was the third highest for September in weather records in the region.

With only 10 mm of rain in the first 20 days of the month, it was looking like it could have been one of the driest Septembers on record.  But then we received 44.8 mm of rain on the 21st, which was the fourth wettest September day in the 25+ year history of the E.D. Soulis memorial weather station.  This was followed by a few more wet days, resulting in a total for the month of 88.0 mm, which is above the average of 75.6 mm.

The total precipitation so far this year is now 697.8 mm, just a bit above the average of 683.5 mm.

Summary for September 2025:

Maximum Temperature 28.8°C
Minimum Temperature 3.8°C
Average Daily High Temperature 24.6°C (Long term average 22.0°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 9.7°C (Long term average 10.3°C)
Total Precipitation 88.0 mm (Long term average 75.6 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

August 2025 Summary

A dry month with average temperature and the hottest summer in 70 years

The month started out very warm, but this ended on the 16th with the temperature going back closer to average for a week and then the month ending with a week of below average temperatures.  All of this resulted in an overall temperature that was 0.3 degrees below the average, which is still within the average range.

August also started off very dry with less than 5 mm falling in the first half.  There were a few wetter days in the second half, but still the total only got up to 46.2 mm, which is well below the average of 66.5 mm.  This brought the total precipitation so far in 2025 (609.8 mm) back closer to the average (596.0 mm).  

As we are now past meteorological summer (June-July-August) we can say it was a very hot summer.  The temperature was over one and half degrees above average, this makes it the hottest since 1955 and the fourth warmest in the history of weather records in the region which go back to 1914.  There were 34 days above 30°C which is much more than average of 11.  While the total precipitation of 230.6 mm was just a bit above the average of 214.8 mm.

Summary for August 2025:

Maximum Temperature 32.6°C
Minimum Temperature 5.3°C
Average Daily High Temperature 25.9°C (Long term average 25.6°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 13.3°C (Long term average 14.2°C)
Total Precipitation 46.2 mm (Long term average 66.5 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

July 2025 Summary

The hottest July in 70 years with average precipitation

With multiple heat waves throughout July and 18 days above 30 degrees, the average temperature was an amazing two and half degrees above average.  This resulted in the month being the fourth hottest in the history of weather records in the region and the hottest since 1955.  There was little relief from the warm temperatures as only a single day had a high that was below average.

After a wet first day of the month there was a week long dry spell.  After that, there were regular storms that came through resulting in a total precipitation of 98.4 mm.  This is above the average of 78.2 mm, but still within the average range.

With the last 6 months all being slightly wetter than average, the total precipitation so far in 2025 of 563.6 mm is getting even more above the average of 503.5 mm.  

Summary for August 2025:

Maximum Temperature 33.1°C
Minimum Temperature 9.6°C
Average Daily High Temperature 29.6°C (Long term average 25.6°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 16.7°C (Long term average 14.8°C)
Total Precipitation 98.4 mm (Long term average 78.2 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

June 2025 Summary

June was very hot month along with average precipitation 

With one of the most extreme heat waves we have seen during June, it not surprising that it was the sixth hottest June in the history of weather records for the region that go back over 100 years.  Overall, it was a little over 2 degrees warmer than the average.

The high of 35.0°C on June 24th was the third highest temperature ever recorded for any month in the 25+ year history of the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo.  There were 5 days over 30°C, where on average we get 3 during June and on the other end, the low temperature of 2.4 °C on 2nd was the lowest June temperature since 1998.

The month saw a couple of long dry spells interrupted by a few very wet days, resulting in a total precipitation was 86.0 mm.  This is above the average of 70.1 mm, but still within the average range.

With another close to average month, the total precipitation we have seen in the first half of the year of 425.4 mm is not that far below the average total of 465.2 mm.

Summary for June 2025:

Maximum Temperature 35.0°C

Minimum Temperature 2.4°C

Average Daily High Temperature 27.0°C (Long term average 24.1°C)

Average Daily Low Temperature 13.8°C (Long term average 12.6°C)

Total Precipitation 86.0 mm (Long term average 70.1 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

May 2025 Summary

A very average month of May 

A warmer first half of the month was offset by a cooler second half, leading to an overall temperature that was right on the average for the month.  The temperature last went below zero on May 9, which is close to the average date in the history of the Soulis memorial weather station. 

There were a couple of wet days during the month, but nothing out of the ordinary.  The final total was 88.2 mm, the wettest for May since 2019, but still within the average range.  So far the total for the year is 379.2 mm, which is close to the average of 340.2 mm.

Summary for May 2025:

Maximum Temperature 28.0°C
Minimum Temperature -0.9°C
Average Daily High Temperature 18.9°C (Long term average 19.1°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 7.5°C (Long term average 7.3°C)
Total Precipitation 88.2 mm (Long term average 73.8 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

April 2025 Summary

A warm April with one really, really wet day

After a cool start to the month, the second half was somewhat warmer.  The overall temperature was a little over 2 degrees warmer than average, making it the warmest since 2017 and the third warmest in the over 25 year history of the E.D. Soulis weather station.

April 3 will go down as one of the wettest days in the history of the region, starting overnight the precipitation started as a wintery mix before changing over to steady rain that peaked in the late morning.  The total for the day was 78.8 mm, the wettest single day since Jan 11, 2020 when we had 79.6 mm and close to the average for the entire month of 82.3 mm.

The rest of the month was actually pretty dry with the total only being 113.2 mm, higher than average, but 4 of the past 10 years have had higher totals.  Over the first four months of the year there has been 291.0 mm of precipitation, which is a little more than the average of 264.4 mm for this time of year.

We got 2.5 cm of snowfall during April putting the total at 196.5 cm.  This means we are (probably) ending the 2024-25 snowfall season much higher than then the average of 159.7 cm.  

Summary for April 2025:

Maximum Temperature 29.3°C
Minimum Temperature -7.5°C
Average Daily High Temperature 15.2°C (Long term average 11.5°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 1.4°C (Long term average 0.70°C)
Total Precipitation 113.2 mm (Long term average 82.3 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

March 2023 Summary

A very warm March with average precipitation and hardly any snow

There was a 2 week period in the middle of the month with temperatures well above average, outside of that period there were only a few cold days.  This resulted in the overall average temperature to be over 2 degrees above average.  But interestingly, it was still only the fifth warmest March in the past 10 years.

During that mid-month warm period the annual weather station contest ended at 3:45 pm on the 19th when the temperature first hit 20°C. Congratulations to the contest winter Richard Goetz.

Even with the absence of very large storms during the month, there was usually some precipitation every few days.  This resulted in the total for March of 65.2 mm just a tiny bit above the average of 63.6 mm.

The warm temperatures meant that the snowfall for the month was only 3.0 cm, obviously much less than the average of 26.5 cm.  However, for the snowfall season we are at 194.0 cm, compared to the average of a typical season of 159.7 cm.

Summary for March 2025:

Maximum Temperature 20.7°C
Minimum Temperature -17.2°C
Average Daily High Temperature 7.3°C (Long term average 4.2°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -3.9°C (Long term average -5.5°C)
Total Precipitation 65.2 mm (Long term average 63.6 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo).

February 2025 Summary

A very snowy February, but with average temperatures

The cold temperatures of January continued into the first 3 weeks of February.  If that had continued it would have been one of coldest we have seen in a while, however the last week saw six days with highs above zero.  This resulted in the overall temperature being just 0.2 degrees below average, keeping it within the average range.

Looking at the entire meteorological winter (December-January-February), the average temperature was a little more than one degree below average.  This made it the coldest winter since 2014-15.

Of course we had those couple of big storms in the middle of the month, while the rest of the month saw pretty typical precipitation.  This resulted in the total for the month of 65 mm being just bit higher than the average of 63.5 mm.

With the cold temperatures, most of that precipitation came down as snow, resulting in an incredible 77.5 cm of snowfall during February.  This is more than double the average of 30.3 cm and the most we have seen for the month since the 93.0 cm in 2013.  The total for the snowfall season so far is 191.0 cm, also well above the average of 125.6 cm and the most since 2008.  Given that we never had a mid-winter thaw, pretty much all that snow is still sitting on everyone’s lawn resulting in accumulations not seen in many years.

It is also that time of year for the annual Weather Station Contest where you have to guess when the first time the station’s temperature will go above 20°C.  You can get details about the contest and put in your guess here: https://weather.uwaterloo.ca/contest2025/contest_entry_period_2025.asp

Summary for February 2025:

Maximum Temperature 7.9°C
Minimum Temperature -19.7°C
Average Daily High Temperature -2.5°C (Long term average -1.3°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -10.0°C (Long term average -10.8°C)
Total Precipitation 65.0 mm (Long term average 63.5 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo).

January 2025 Summary

A cold and dry January, but with lots of snow

With the coldest days we have seen since February of 2022, it follows that January was below average by a little over one degree.  The temperature went below -20°C for three days in a row between the 20th and the 22nd, that hasn’t happened since January of 2022.  This is the first month that was in the below average range since August 2023.  

The total precipitation of 47.6 mm was much less than the average of 72.0 mm.  However, even though the overall precipitation was less than average, with the cold temperatures we still got 68.5 cm of snowfall in January, which is above the average of 43.7 cm for the month.  Overall for the snowfall season we have had 113.5 cm compared to the average of 95.3 cm for this point in the season.

Summary for January 2025:

Maximum Temperature 2.4°C
Minimum Temperature -22.1°C
Average Daily High Temperature -3.5°C (Long term average -2.2°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -11.5°C (Long term average -10.2°C)
Total Precipitation 47.6 mm (Long term average 72.0 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2024 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

2024 Summary

E.D. Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo Annual Summary - 2024

Clearly the biggest weather story was that 2024 ended up being the warmest year in the history of weather records in the region, which go back over 100 years.  With an overall temperature of 9.45°C it beat the previous warmest year of 2012, when the average was 9.32°C.  It was consistently warm with only August coming in below average and that was only by 0.1 degrees.  This matches the wider trend as 2024 was also the warmest year on record globally.

Locally, the first 3 months of the year were particularly warm with each being 3 or more degrees above average.  This included February which was almost 5 degrees above average, making it the second warmest February on record, just a bit less than the record warmest in 2017.  It was also the most above average for any month also since February of 2017.  March was not quite as much above average, but was still the seventh warmest on record.

The next few months were above average, but not as much as the previous monthss.  April 26 was the last day it went below zero during the spring, this was tied with 2013 as the earliest last freezing day in the history of Soulis weather station.  The lowest temperature seen during May was 3.0°C, this was only matched back in 1975 as the highest low temperature for May. 

June and July were closer to average and then came August which was the one and only month that had below average temperatures.  Of course it was only below by a mere 0.08 degrees, so it was still in the average range.  September was the warmest since 2018, while in October the high temperatures on the  21st and 22nd were 25°C, the only time we have seen a temperature that high that late in October was way back in 1947.

Just before midnight on October 16th the temperature went below zero for the first time since the Spring.  This resulted in the period of above freezing temperatures (sometimes called the “Growing Season”) being 173 days, longer than the average of 160 days but less than the record longest of 186 days.  November was back up to over 1.5 degrees above average, follow by a December that was only above by half a degree, making it the coldest December since 2017.

Turning to precipitation, apart from a dry February, the rest of the first half of the year was close to average.  Then a very wet July included 56.4 mm on the 10th which was the wettest single day in almost 5 years.  But after this, it was dry to very dry the rest of the year, with the combined precipitation of September and October being the second driest for those two months in the region’s history.

The dry fall put the total precipitation for the year at 763.2 mm, well below the average of 869.6 mm, making it the second driest year in the past decade.

The total snowfall for the 2023-24 season was 71.0 cm, which was well below the average of 159.7 cm.  The first few months of the next snowfall season started quickly with 45 cm total in November and December compared to the average of 26 cm by the end of the year.

Frank Seglenieks
weather@uwaterloo.ca
E.D. Soulis Memorial Weather Station Coordinator

Summary for 2024 (averages from 1998-2023 data for Soulis Memorial Weather Station):
Average Daily High Temperature: 14.69°C (average 12.69ºC)
Average Daily Low Temperature: 4.22°C  (average 2.68ºC)
Total Precipitation: 763.2 mm (average 869.6 mm)

Extremes for 2024 (all time Soulis Memorial Weather Station extreme in brackets):
Highest temperature:
33.9°C Jun 19 4:00 pm (35.7 °C July 21, 2011 3:00 pm)
Highest humidex:
44.0 Jun 29 4:00 pm (47.6 July 17, 2013 5:00 pm)
Lowest temperature:
-20.3°C Dec 22 9:15 am (-35.5 °C Feb 16, 2015 7:00 am)
Lowest windchill:
-33.9 Jan 17 9:30 am (-47.3 Feb 15, 2015 6:15 am)
Greatest temperature drop in 15 minutes:
-6.6°C Mar 20 4:15 pm (-9.5 °C July 19, 2013 5:00 pm)
Greatest temperature drop in 60 minutes:
-11.4°C Feb 28 10:45 - 11:45 am (-11.8 °C July 19, 2013 4:45-5:45 pm)
Greatest temperature rise in 15 minutes:
4.4°C Mar 5 1:00 am (8.6 °C Jan 2, 2001 6:15 am)
Greatest temperature rise in 60 minutes:
7.2°C Oct 22 8:30 - 9:30 am (12.2 °C Jan 2, 2001 4:45-5:45 am)
Highest precipitation in 15 minutes:
12.6 mm Jun 26 2:15-2:30 pm (24.8 mm Jul 10, 2020 6:45-7:00 pm)
Highest precipitation in 60 minutes:
19.8 mm May 20 4:30-5:30 pm (57.4 mm Aug 2, 2014 2:30-3:30 pm)
Highest Precipitation in 1 day:
56.4 mm Jul 10 (88.0 mm Sep 22, 2021)
Highest 15 minute average wind speed:
29.9 km/h Feb 26 1:45 pm (44.6 km/h Mar 9, 2002 6:30 pm)
Highest wind gust (only available since 2015):
39.3 km/h Mar 16 2:00 pm (44.4 km/h Apr 13, 2015 2:30 pm)
Last time the temperature went below 0 before the summer:
Apr 26 7:45 am (Has ranged between Apr 26 - May 23)
First time the temperature went below 0 after the summer:
Oct 16 10:30 pm (Has ranged between Sep 19 - Oct 29)
Length of frost-free season
173 Days (Has ranged between 129-186 days)
Highest daily low temperature:
21.6°C Jul 18 (25.3 °C Aug 1, 2006)
Lowest daily high temperature:
-10.9°C Jan 15 (-20.6 °C Feb 15, 2015)
Largest daily temperature range:
22.5°C Apr 9 (29.6 °C Feb 19, 2007)
Smallest daily temperature range:
1.40°C Jan 15 (0.45 °C Dec 7, 2005)

Click on the image below to see the temperature chart:

Click on the image below to see the precipitation chart: