Here’s the Fall Forecast Across Canada, According to AccuWeather
Updated: Aug. 26, 2021
Meteorologists give us a sneak peek at Canada’s fall forecast for 2021, from coast to coast.
A sneak peek at the forecast for fall 2021 in Canada
Following a scorching summer, many Canadians are looking forward to fall weather and all that it brings: colourful foliage, crisp air and delicious fall produce. According to AccuWeather’s meteorologists, however, we might need to wait a bit longer for a respite from the heat, as much of the country will be seeing above normal temperatures well into autumn.
Here’s the seasonal weather forecast for fall 2021 in Canada, region by region.
Fall 2021 forecast for British Columbia: Wet and stormy
According to AccuWeather’s Canada weather expert, Brett Anderson, strong La Niña conditions, which are characterized by cooler-than-normal ocean water in the Pacific near the equator, will shape the fall 2021 forecast across the country. Even though the La Niña phenomenon is thousands of kilometres off of Canada’s Pacific coast, it has a massive influence on the jet stream.
“The jet stream is like a pathway for storms, thus we are expecting a stormier fall, especially across the western half of British Columbia, with above-normal rainfall,” Anderson says. “The bad news is that in areas where there will be less rain, such as south-central British Columbia, there will be more wind, which may inhibit firefighting efforts. In burn scar areas along hill and mountain slopes, any rainstorms may lead to debris flows.”
Read the terrifying story of the worst forest fire in Canadian history.
Fall 2021 forecast for Alberta and the Prairies: Windy and dry
Widespread drought was the big news story across Alberta and the Prairies throughout the summer, and unfortunately, Anderson says there’s likely no relief in sight this fall.
On July 31 of this year, the Canadian Drought Monitor, which provides official reports on drought conditions across the country, identified Calgary and Edmonton in “extreme” drought conditions (the second most severe rating on their scale), and Saskatoon and Winnipeg as “exceptional” (the highest level of drought).
Although the windy and dry conditions won’t improve the drought situation, it could make for decent harvest conditions. Only two years ago, regional farmers experienced a “harvest from hell,” when rain and snow cut the canola farming season short and buried millions of acres of crops.
Find out what it was like on the Prairies back in the sweltering summer of 1937.
Fall 2021 forecast for Ontario and Quebec: Persisting warm weather
AccuWeather’s meteorologists are calling for a warm, mild fall in Southern Ontario and Quebec. “Above-normal water temperatures throughout the Great Lakes will likely persist through the season,” Anderson says. “This will have its biggest influence on nighttime temperatures, being milder, across the region.”
Don’t miss this gorgeous gallery of Canadian fall photography.
Fall 2021 forecast for Atlantic Canada: Tropical storms ahead
Above-average sea-surface temperatures off the east coast will likely mean a warm fall for Atlantic Canada, but Anderson warns it could also spell trouble.
“There is a higher-than-normal risk for a landfalling tropical storm or hurricane over Nova Scotia this fall as the Atlantic basin is expected to have a higher-than-normal number of storms that may recurve northward toward the region,” Anderson said. “Warmer water than usual may also allow some storms to maintain strength longer than usual as they get this far north.”
Now that you know the forecast for fall 2021 in Canada, find out the 10 worst natural disasters in Canadian history.
