Over the last four years, we have experienced the warmest years in a row on record. 2016 was Toronto’s hottest summer yet, with the next couple of years coming close as well. While it’s possible that 2019’s summer could follow the last couple years, there is reason to believe that 2019 could be our hottest summer ever.
What's Happening Worldwide
How do we know that this year is likely to continue the heat incline? The short answer is a combination of El Niño and climate change.
Not sure what El Niño is? As explained in this recent article, El Niño is a natural climate pattern where sea water in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is warmer than average. El Niño is a major contributor to the severe precipitation and weather patterns that have impacted the Southern United States this year.
It must be noted that El Niño is a natural climate pattern that has occurred for thousands of years – lasting anywhere from 4-16 months at a time. With that said, extreme weather is on the horizon as El Niños are expected to grow stronger.
Between increasing impact of El Niño and the streak of increasing temperatures over the last four years, Samantha Stevenson, a climate scientist from the University of California, believes that 2019 could be the hottest year yet.
Impact on Toronto's 2019 Summer Forecast
We know what to expect on a global scale. But how does this apply to Toronto?
Let’s look back to the summer of 2018 . We experienced heat waves, especially on Canada Day weekend, which was some of the most summer extreme weather that Toronto has seen in years. Temperatures remained in the 30s and felt like mid-40s with the humidity. Environment Canada called this weekend the “most significant heat event” while noting that the last time June temperatures were around the mid-30s, was 50 years ago.
While Toronto didn’t experience heat-related deaths like Montreal, we did experience widespread flooding – something that we may see more of as temperatures increase.
There’s no telling what will happen a few months from now, but global patterns and recent trends indicate it’s best to prepare for the most extreme conditions.
GET YOUR AIR CONDITIONER TUNED UP
How to Prepare for Extreme Heat
So, what are the next steps to prepare for a hot summer like 2018? Here are a few ways to ensure you are covered when anticipated heat waves hit:
- Make sure your air conditioner is tuned-up and ready to go before the busy season hits. Don’t wait until it breaks! As the weather warms, requests for service/installation increases – which means longer wait times.
- Write down the number for emergency air conditioner service just in case.
- Purchase a fan or two to have a backup to hold you over in case your air conditioner needs repair.
- Find out where you can go to cool down if your cooling system is unexpectedly out-of-commission (the power goes out or your air conditioner breaks down.)
- If your air conditioner is nearing the end of its life, look into upgrading to an energy-efficient model like the Lennox XC21 which will save you on cooling costs. That way, you can crank up the A/C and feel comfortable without worrying about the cost.
If you’re unsure if you should tune-up or replace your air conditioner just yet, consider that it's often better to take action in cooler months. You can never be too prepared, especially when the weather can be unpredictable.
Follow these tips and you should be covered (and be able to actually enjoy the hot Toronto summers!)
