| The city also had a record-breaking February 2015 – the first time since record-keeping began in 1840 that temperatures stayed below zero for the entire month. January, when this shot was taken, Toronto had almost half its usual precipitation. |
How do I know these bits of weather arcana? Because, today, something great arrived in my inbox: My monthly Ontario Weather Review from the Meteorological Service of Canada. Environment Canada, in short. Strangely, Ontario seems to be the only province lucky enough to have its own report, from what I can see – for which, you can be sure, I am duly appreciative.
I’ve been on the mailing list since 2012, and every month provides weather insights that help explain the good and the bad that happens in our gardens. In addition to the examples mentioned, in 2015:
• That long, cold February came hot (or not-so-hot) on the heels of a colder, drier January
• March was also colder and drier, with almost half our usual rainfall (all stats here refer to Toronto)
• That wet June was preceded by another dry month in May – see a trend developing?
• In July, we had almost 1/3 of our typical rainfall; driest July since 1954
• Then came August, with 50% of our usual rain, followed by the warmest September since 2002
It’s probably no wonder that – after two dismally cold winters – a year like this can put stress on our gardens. I lost a Japanese maple this year, and I’ve heard many others had the same experience.
You can subscribe to the Weather Review, yourself, though the email form about half way down this link. Bookmark it. The URL is hard to find, and has lots of good stuff for weather geeks.
7 comments
I am wondering what this winter will bring. The unusual warm weather we had all week has got me wondering if we are in for a much warmer winter than the last two.
Jennifer, I've heard that an unusual El Niño configuration might give us a very mild winter this year. We'll have to wait and see, I guess. The dryness in 2015 in Toronto has been the troubling factor for me. I'll be watching our progress in retrospect with the monthly report.
And we were there to experience some of that record breaking weather!
Our local agriculture college produces a monthly report too, so as it's just a few miles down the road it's perfect for a weather nerd like me. The UK's just had its warmest November day ever too!
Yes, we did get caught in a couple of deluges during the Garden Bloggers Fling in June, didn't we? And right now Toronto is at the tail end of a November heat wave, too. I'm not complaining about that — more time to shred my leaves and get them on the garden!
I love this. Ladies, you take garden nerdiness to the highest level. And I mean that in the kindest and most complimentary way possible.
Aw, shucks, Christine. You really know how to flatter a girl! ;^)
I'm sure it was also the wettest month of June in Riviere-du-Loup, Quebec, where I arrived on June 1st. I don't think I had a single day without rain – lots of it – which is why I didn't get my planting done as soon as usual, wimp that I am.