After the winter we just had, we’re almost afraid to ask what the summer of 2018 has in store for us. Last year, our part of Canada saw lots of grey skies and torrential rainfall, contributing to a record-breaking rise in the shorelines of Lake Ontario.
So, what’s to come for summer weather in the GTA this year? Can we expect a record number of calls for emergency air conditioner repair in Toronto and the GTA?
While there’s no way to know for sure, we can’t resist looking ahead at the 2018 summer forecast. Here’s what climatologists and other weather-watchers expect we’ll see in Toronto and the GTA.
Environment Canada: Hot Summer in the GTA
Good news for beach-lovers: the summer of 2018 may bring more favourable weather to look forward to than last year.
At least that’s what Dave Phillips, Canada’s senior climatologist, predicts. Phillips says that Eastern Canada will see above-average temperatures in the summer of 2018, especially in the Great Lakes region.
The average summer temperature in Toronto is about 27°C, and the city typically sees between 15 days of above-30-degree weather. We had just nine 30+ days in 2017, while 2016 gave us almost 40 such days. Phillips expects the summer of 2018 will resemble 2016.
It almost sounds too good to be true, and unfortunately, it could be. Although Environment Canada derives its forecast from numerical weather prediction models, it’s not always on the mark when it comes to long-range forecasting. Back in March, for instance, Phillips forecasted that the spring of 2018 would be no colder than usual — until we got that big ice storm in April, that is.
Will There Be Less Rainfall?
While it wasn’t particularly cold last summer, the rain put a damper on many summer days. The heavy precipitation, combined with the melting snow, even resulted in flooded basements and ruined backyards all across the region.
Fortunately, we are unlikely to see a repeat of such weather in 2018. The International Lake Ontario—St. Lawrence River Board, which oversees the Moses-Saunders Dam on the Canadian border, sees no indication that the extreme rainfall that resulted in the flooding of Lake Ontario will occur again this year.
That’s especially good news for those planning a trip to the beautiful Toronto Islands.
Preparing Your Home for the Summer Ahead
If the forecast pans out as climatologists predict, you could find yourself switching on the A/C a lot more than usual. We saw an upswing in calls for emergency air conditioner repair in Toronto two years ago, and this year could bode the same.
We recommend that our customers have their cooling equipment inspected before the warm weather hits to ensure the system is running efficiently and fix any problems that could lead to a breakdown. If it’s been a few years since your last inspection, now is definitely a good time to make the call.
Learn more about our professional air conditioner maintenance service.
Image: Gary Blakeney
