May 2024 Summary

A warm May with average precipitation 

With only a few below average days during the month, the overall temperature ended up being almost 2 and half degrees above average.  This is now the sixth month in a row with above average temperatures and the warmest May since 2018.  

The lowest temperature we saw during the month was 3.0°C, which was only matched back in 1975 as the highest low temperature for May.  As well, it now looks like April 26 will be the last day it went below zero this spring, this is tied with 2013 as the earliest last freezing day in the history of Soulis weather station. 

The precipitation for the month was well distributed with no particularly wet days or long dry periods.  The total of 80.3 mm was just a bit more than the average of 73.8 mm, keeping it within the average range.  So far the total for the year is 335.4 mm, which is incredibly close to the average of 340.2 mm.

Summary for May 2024:

Maximum Temperature 30.3°C
Minimum Temperature 3.0°C
Average Daily High Temperature 21.8°C (Long term average 19.1°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 9.2°C (Long term average 7.3°C)
Total Precipitation 80.8 mm (Long term average 73.8 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2022 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

April 2024 Summary

A warm April with no snowfall

The month of April had temperatures that were mostly average or above average, with a lot of the warmer days coming during the first half of the month. There were a few colder days in the last week, but the overall temperature was still almost two degrees above average. We have now had 5 months in a row that were warmer than average.

A couple of stormy days in the middle of the month pushed the total precipitation for April up to 89.0 mm, which is a little above the average of 82.3 mm. The total for the year is now 254.6 mm, which is below the 280.3 mm we would expect by this time of the year.

We didn’t get any measurable snowfall during April, something that happens around every 5 years or so in our area. The total snowfall of 71.0 cm for the season was less than half the average of 159.7 cm. Keeping in mind that we only have reliable daily snow measurements going back to 2001-2002, this was the lowest amount of total snowfall during that period.

Summary for April 2024:

Maximum Temperature 23.0°C
Minimum Temperature -3.2°C
Average Daily High Temperature 13.2°C (Long term average 11.5°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature 2.9°C (Long term average 0.70°C)
Total Precipitation 89.0 mm (Long term average 82.3 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2022 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

March 2024 Summary

A very warm and wet March with low snowfall

Practically the entire first half of March was anywhere between 10 to 15 degrees above average.  This was followed by something we haven’t seen in a few months: an extended period of colder than average temperatures.  Overall, the average temperature was over 3 degrees warmer than average, making it the seventh warmest March in the history of records in the region that go back to 1914.

During those first warm days of the month the annual weather station contest ended at 2:30 pm on the 4^th when the temperature first hit 20°C (this was the earliest 20°C in the history of the region). Congratulations to Michael Greaves who guessed the exact correct time.

A couple of big storms (over 20 mm) came through on the 9^th and 14^th which helped propel the total for the month to 71.6 mm.  This is above the average of 63.4 mm and high enough to be in the above average range.

Even though there was high total precipitation, with the warm temperatures most of it fell as rain.  In fact, the amount of snowfall for March of 11.5 cm was less than half the 26.5 cm of snow that we get on average.  The puts the total for the snowfall season at 71.0 cm, also less than half the average of a typical season of 159.7 cm.

Summary for March 2024:

Maximum Temperature 20.6°C
Minimum Temperature -11.3°C
Average Daily High Temperature 7.5°C (Long term average 4.2°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -2.1°C (Long term average -5.5°C)
Total Precipitation 71.6 mm (Long term average 63.6 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2022 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

February 2024 Summary

The second warmest February on record

With temperatures that ranged from average to well above average, it is not surprising that the overall temperature was close to 5 degrees above average.  This made it the second warmest February in the history of weather records in the region (which go back to 1914) and just a bit less than the record warmest in 2017.

Looking at the meteorological winter (December-January-February), the average temperature was -1.8°C.  This was the third warmest winter only behind 2001-02 and 1931-32.

Even some wet days in the final few days of the month could only bring the total precipitation to about a third of the average (21.6 mm total compared to the average of 63.5 mm).  This was the driest February since 1987.

With the warm temperatures and lack of overall precipitation, it follows that the total snowfall of only 13 cm was well below the average of 30.3 cm for February.  Overall, we have had 59.5 cm during this snowfall season, less than half the average of 125.6 cm for this point in the season.  As well, the gloominess index of 5.9 (on a scale of 10) was just a bit less than the average of 5.7 and much less than the value of 8.3 from last month.

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/2024_contest/contest_entry_period_2024.asp 

Summary for February 2024:

Maximum Temperature 14.1°C
Minimum Temperature -13.0°C
Average Daily High Temperature 3.8°C (Long term average -1.3°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -6.3°C (Long term average -10.8°C)
Total Precipitation 21.6 mm (Long term average 63.5 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2022 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)

January 2024 Summary

A gloomy and warm January with average precipitation

Apart from the usual information, this summary also sees the introduction of first version of the Soulis Memorial Weather Station gloominess index!  Each day is given a number from 1 to 10 depending on the maximum amount of sun for that day, the gloomier the day the higher the number.  Then the average for the month is then calculated.  

For January the average was 8.3 (out of 10), this compares to the 1999-2023 average of 7.1 (it has ranged between 6.5 in 2013 to 8.5 last year).  This was the second highest gloominess index in the history of the station, so it wasn’t just your imagination, there wasn’t a lot of sun last month.

Even though we had that one cold week in the middle of the month, it didn’t make up for the warmer than average temperatures the rest of the month, particularly near the end.  In fact, the low temperatures in the last week never went below the average high temperatures for those days.  With all that it is not surprising that the overall temperature was almost 3 degrees higher than average.

The total precipitation of 72.4 mm was just a little above the average of 70.9 mm.  But even with the warm temperatures, we still got 36.5 cm of snow in January, not that far off of the average of 43.7 cm.  Overall for the snowfall season we have had 46.5 cm, less than half the average of 95.3 cm for this point in the season.

Summary for January 2024:

Maximum Temperature 7.3°C
Minimum Temperature -19.5°C
Average Daily High Temperature -1.0°C (Long term average -2.4°C)
Average Daily Low Temperature -6.2°C (Long term average -10.6°C)
Total Precipitation 72.4 mm (Long term average 70.9 mm)

(Long term averages based on 1998-2022 data from the Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo)