Hello all, the weekend's significant Tornado outbreak across the Central Plains & Mid-West produced over 120 Tornado touchdowns and countless reports of hail damage. The most affected state was OK, where on Friday and again Saturday night, Tornadoes ripped paths upto a mile-wide in some spots with worst affected Norman, OK on Friday night and more substantial damage done to Woodward, OK on Saturday evening with an EF3 confirmed to have gone thru the town of 12,000 residents. Sadly, a sixth person died earlier this morning resulting from this Tornado, but remarkably these were the only fatalities from the weekend outbreak. A testimont again to the increased awareness of such events from the public and their prepardness for bad weather.

As Graeme posted a crazy 24hrs back here in Ontario. Monday saw very strong wind gusts between 65-90kph across a wide area of the GTA ahead of a cold front which produced the most extreme temp swings along it's boundary and thus weather type. Here's a breakdown from EC on the wind and snow readings from the storm :

==weather event discussion==

The passage of a sharp cold front brought very strong gusty winds to
parts of Southern Ontario Monday afternoon.  Several stations
reported wind gusts in excess of 90 km/h, meeting the wind warning
criteria.  These strong gusts blew down trees and power lines, and
blew over a transport truck on highway 400 near Bradford.  The winds
were so strong that reduced visibility was reported in blowing dust
north of Orangeville and near Bradford.

In addition to the wind, temperatures soared into the high twenties
over Eastern Ontario.  Ottawa and Cornwall were close to breaking
The daily maximum temperature record but fell short by half a
Degree.  However, both Brockville and Kemptville set new
Temperature records Monday afternoon.

-------------------------------------------------------------
April 16        location        peak wind gust (km/h)
Time(lcl)

1:39 PM         London airport          96
3:00 PM         Borden                  95
3:00 PM         Elora (N of Kitchener)  83
3:00 PM         Hamilton airport        80
4:00 PM         Waterloo-Wellington     93
4:00 PM         Egbert (S of Barrie)    87
6:00 PM         Toronto Pearson         80


Location        new record    old record    year

Brockville      28.4 c        24.4 c        1973
Kemptville      28.3 c        27.6 c        2002


This weather summary contains preliminary information
And may not constitute an official or final report.

END/OSPC

Weather summary for Northern Ontario issued by Environment Canada at 9:45 AM EDT Tuesday 17 April 2012. ----------------------------------

--------------------------- ==weather event discussion==

A strong low pressure system brought winter-like conditions to much of Northern Ontario beginning Sunday night and snow in some areas continued into this morning. A combination of snow, ice pellets and freezing rain affected areas from Fort Frances to north of Lake Superior and east to the Quebec border. Snow amounts in excess of 20 cm were reported at several stations, while areas from Marathon To Wawa to Timmins experienced an extended period of freezing rain. Below are significant snow totals and the duration of freezing rain reported for this event up to 8 AM today.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Location snow amount (cm)

Atikokan 27

Cameron Falls 7

Marathon 10

Armstrong 11

Geraldton 25

Nagagami 27

Kapuskasing 36 (snow and ice pellets)

Wawa 10

Timmins 9 Location freezing rain duration (hours)

Thunder Bay 3

Wawa 2.5

Chapleau 3

Timmins 14

Toronto & Hamilton both had a high of 25c/77f. The highest temp this April by some way, following 20c that was the high on Sunday in Dundas. The feeling not quite as warm as that due to the strength of the wind. In contrast, the snow in Northern portions of Ontario, significant snow in one or two spots. Crazy weather! Today it's down to 10c now the cold front has passed, little or no rain on it.

The weather still on a mini rollercoaster for the GTA thru the rest of this week with cooler weather tomorrow followed by potentially awonderful, windless day and sun on Thursday at 19c then more rain and even snow possible come Saturday and high forecasted at just 5c!

Southern Ontario in Spring......marvellous!

Take Care

Hello folks, interesting spell of weather developing for many parts of the Northeast U.S. & E Canada early next week more on which in a second. Firstly, a very pleasant spell just past Wed-Fri with temps well into the 20sC, a lack of sunshine however not too breezy so it felt very comfortable. Rain overnight has ushered in much cooler air, just 4c here in Dundas at 11am.

Today and tomorrow stay mixed, we may manage a high around 13c by the end of the afternoon. However the entertainment comes from a lp system that will track into the Northeast by Sunday night. There's been a massive amount of debate and conjecture about this one over on Accuweather, the models haven't been dealing particulary brilliant with it but the general theme is for rain and strong winds to develop and in some spots the rain will turn to snow. Especially high ground.

Both Toronto & Hamilton's forecast for Mon & Tue is for a mix of wintery precip and just 4-5c. The doubt is how much cold air gets sucked in and how far down the cold air goes, this will determine snow amounts and distribution/location.

Probably looking at snow not settling due to the main energy at the minute being forecasted for daytime, higher elevations in Ontario particulary the Ottawa valley could do well.

Winter's last stand (hopefully) Outlook for May showing sustained warmth even hot weather and average rainfall for Southern Ontario. Maybe summer will make a early appearance after it's brief visit in March?

Have a great weekend everyone!

Ontario late blizzard.
April is the cruelest month.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goyJEkUtcjk 

Indeed, and it's cool again in eastern Canada/NE States this weekend. Sub freezing in the big cities of Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal this morning after some cool temperatures yesterday (+3.5c the max in Ottawa). Further north it's decidedly chilly in central and northern Ontario with Timmins, for example, expecting a low of -13c which would easily break the daily record low. To the east there's some light snow flurries around in the Maritime provinces.

Stateside it's a real north/south split temp-wise with cool air over the Midwest, Great Lakes and NE and much warmer conditions in the south (mid to high 80s for Dallas, Memphis, Atlanta). In between the inevitable spring severe weather with Kansas and Missouri the prime spot for severe thunderstorms including the risk of tornadoes right now.

Looking ahead it should turn much milder through southern Ontario this week with temps up to around 20c or above by Thursday. At the sametime it looks like turning hot through the SW states, into the southern Rockies and Plains, with the heat expanding slowly northwards if the latest GFS is to be believed.

A tough few days for the Blue Jays Stewart, culminating with up and coming star Brett Lawrie literally throwing the game away last night against the Mariners. Still, it's early season and the club is around .500. Plenty to be positive about.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Hello folks, yeah a good start to the season slightly put into the chiller (a bit like the weather!) this week for the Blue Jays. Early days and there's always tonight's game, hopefully they can show some steel this campaign when in a slide, unlike what has happened on some occasions over the past 5 season's or so, where a slide turned into a crisis with more than a worrying regularity.

As for the weather, that snowstorm up in Orangeville back on Monday was a very localised event. Even 'normal' high ground for snow around these parts saw very little if any snow, certainly not lying stuff from last Monday's storm which brought unseasonably low temps to much of he Eastern 3rd of N America. In Toronto/Hamilton and down to Niagara all that fell was cold rain, very cold rain with the biting wind.

The week hasn't really recovered from the storm either with continued below average values and as Graeme reported very cold at night with a ground frost. Another frost expected tonight, temps may get down to -6c in rural prone spots but the general trend as Graeme discussed is for milder, even warm weather to take over as the calender changes into May. EC currently have 25c/77f as a high for Thursday, today it's just 9c!

With the warmer air will come showers though so no heatwave, just yet. But hopefully more typical early May weather for the GTA, weather that the plants and wildlife around here can start to enjoy.

Whatever your upto, make it a great weekend everyone.

Crazy Golf Ball sized hail storm in Missouri yesterday

This has ads associated with it, sorry!

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/video--golf-ball-sized-hailstones-hit-quiet-neighbourhood.html

A bit late, but here is the picture I took mid-April heading home from work of the 10-25mm of rain that Environment Canada had forecast.

The rest of April was up and down in terms of temperature - even up to 25c on the 23rd of April!  Didn't last though and the previous week has been farly cool, cloudy and rainy.  Which is good, the moisture needed and everything starting to green up, almost as if Spring was here.

Next week is looking pretty promising, lots of sunshine and temperatures in the high teens.  After the rain on Saturday of course, oh well.

 Peter 

July 2011 - June 2012 Stats
Elevation: 1084m
Latitude: 51° 6' N
Warmest Temperature: 30.4c 29/08/11
Coldest Temperature: -32.4c 18/01/12
Days with thunderstorms: 4
Days with rain falling: 33
Days with snow falling: 45
Days with snow lying: 102
Maximum snow depth: 6" (15cm)
Current snow depth 0" (0cm)

Hello folks, you got to love Environment Canada Peter, well........great pic for rain incidentally! lol!

I feel as if these posts are getting more and more infrequent and for that i apoligise. That dreaded 4 letter word beginning with W takes up more time than it should. Even when i get over 2 weeks off in just a month's time posting looks remote as my family are visiting Ontario this summer instead of me going back to Scotland. So, entertainment, wine, beer and a bit of sightseeing (not necersary in that order!) will be plentiful. I will endevour to have more a life outside the office now the summer nights are here if not as of yet, total summer weather.

Past week sums up the rollercoaster that the GTA has been on since really the start of 2012. Started cold early last week with some frosts and cool days, some of which have reportedly damaged crops down in the Niagara region costing the economy more hard-pressed $. Then we had a mid-week warm up of some note, 28.5c recorded in Hamilton on Thursday ahead of a cold front which brought a lively Thunderstorm to the local area late on Thursday night and also some more Thunderstorms to other parts of the GTA with some fairly large rainfall totals in a short time being measured.

Once that cleared, it's been a cooler but average weekend with some cloud and sunny spells, temps this afternoon at 17c/63f.

Outlook is for unsettled conditions to be in the ascendancy over the week ahead with showers or longer spells of rain Mon-Thur, drier at the minute on Friday.

Further South in the U.S. there's glorious sunny conditions on both coasts today, high's in the 60s for the NorthEast, touching 70f in D.C. On the West Coast, CA will see high's into the 70sF, with the only unsettled weather for the high plains and Chicago and further South in TX, OK, KS where temps into the high 80sF later will spark a Thunderstorm or two, which have the potential to turn Severe. However, so far compared to this time last year it's been reasonably quiet on the Tornado front.

Take Care

Hello folks, looks like it's been very quiet on here so everyone else must be suffering from the same time constraints that i am. Generally the weather has settled down here in Ontario over the past 10 days or so with good sunny spells and decent temps, temps actually climbing over the weekend toward the mid-70sF and on one or two days just over 25c. Still a nagging wind there which has made it feel less warm at times but definately more settled May-like conditions overall.

This morning we've got a band of scattered showers with the odd Thunderstorm moving west to east across the GTA lowering temps overnight ahead of it's passage. In it's wake, a cooler afternoon with temps struggling to 20c. However, the mostly settled weather returns into the weekend and temps are forecast to break thru the 25c/77f mark possibly into the 80sF by Sunday as things stand.

Summer doesn't offically start for over 2 weeks yet, but things are now going a better direction compared to the rather cool and unsettled weather so far this Spring season. Outlook from Brett Anderson's lrf on Accuweather for this summer is for average conditions both in terms of rainfall and temps for Southern Ontario. For his overall predictions on the rest of the Canada for Summer 2012, click here - http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/anderson/the-summer-forecast-for-canada/65122.

Take Care

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/on-143_metric_e.html

Warming up nicely to near 30C in Toronto on Sunday.  Wish to be there right now as we are planning to move there hopefully by 2013 or 2014.

I am not sure how they use it.  Some who post here from Canada may know.

Yes, you hit the nail on the head there Stewart. Busy busy busy. And with the unrelentingly depressing weather we've been having of late, I've not had the heart to look at the weather in NA. You can see why, I'm stuck here in single figures gloom while it's wall-to-walll sun in T.O. this weekend with highs forecast at 25c today and 28c tomorrow. Even hotter in the western Great Lakes with Chicagoland in with a shot of hitting 90f today (32c).

In answer to the question about Canadian summertime - you come across the usual distinction of the meteorological summer starting on June 1st and astronomical summer June 20th. Though you will still read and come across many weather-related stories that define summer along astronomical terms.

I see Brett is reporting that the ECM is calling for a hot start to summer for you Stewart: http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/anderson/long-range-clues-through-midjune/65335 

I know there's quite a few TWOers who keep an eye on the excellent Kimmirut webcam - it's made for good viewing of late as the thaw sets in up north: http://www.kimmirutweather.com/

Well, if you can't beat them, join them (vicariously) so I'll be settling down with a beer later to take in the Blue Jays/Mets game. Hoping for more of what happened last night as the Jays thumped the Mets 14-5 in the first inter-league action of the year!

Enjoy the weekend.

Certainly a hot day shaping up over Ontario: it's already 27c in Hamilton, 11am local time. Meanwhile up in Timmins it's 30c at 11am. A high of around 32c expected. The record high for May is 33.3c so it's not going to be far off that! Ottawa too forecast to hit 32c and the record May high is 32.8c (at the airport, though the record is 35c at the other official station for the city).

Hello folks, the weather has switched it seems from spring straight into summer without much need to hang about in the build-up to summer category. Temps for the past few days have been climbing well above normal and now today we have record setting highs across the Greater Toronto Area and Toronto & Hamilton in particular.

At 4pm EST, Toronto was sitting at 31c while Hamilton was at 29c. Both new temp records for the date and for Hamilton a 34-year record smashed. Here's how the local press are reporting on things :

CTV : http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120525/toronto-hot-weather-120525/20120525/?hub=TorontoNewHome

Hamilton Spec : http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/730846--hamilton-sets-a-heat-record-at-29c

It's breezy here in Dundas this afternoon, but very hot. The humidex is up at 37, that's why it's summertime values in springtime! All this heat will inevitably lead to a breakdown and it comes into Southern Ontario later tomorrow as a warm front mixes with the superplume of hot air creating showers and more likely Thunderstorms. Brett Anderson over on Accuweather forecasts a very wet night for some areas of the GTA and SouthWestern Ontario on Saturday into Sunday.

Once the storms pass, cooler air will arrive and temps lower to the mid to high teens C by Tuesday with still the risk of one or two showers. However, this seems likely to be a temporily blip in the warmer air as long range forecasts including the latest one issued by Brett suggest a warmer than average, even hot June on the way with temps +25c and above more likely than not. Interesting weather developing potentially for a hot Ontarian summer!

Have a great weekend!

Hello folks, hot and humid day yesterday across the GTA as temps rocketed to 32c/90f with humidex of 38 in Hamilton & 37 in Toronto. The high in T.O. reached at 6pm, this the highest temp for the 2012 Season so far.

Before the hot Monday, we had a humid weekend with predominantly cloudy skies but not the rain or heavy Thunderstorms that were originally forecast. We did see one or two light Thunder/lightning moments on Saturday morning, but areas closer to Lake Michigen saw more sustained downpours.

Much cloudier and slighly cooler today with temps currently 26c here in Dundas but still fairly humid. A more unsettled week however in the making as showers and eventually more prolonged rain arrive for the first day of June and first day of 'proper' summer on Friday.

I just hope the weather clears enough come 10 days time when all the family arrive!

Take Care

Interesting reports and nice photo Steve: - Looks like winter 2011/12 was the third warmest winter on record for Canada - according to accuweather:

http://vortex.accuweather.com/adc2004/pub/includes/columns/abrams/2012/590x415_05221754_picture-6.png

Don't know if this has been posted before -

http://visually.visually.netdna-cdn.com/TornadoTracks_4fbd458d255c5.jpg

Hello folks, summer weather has begun in earnest as the calender changed to June across Southern Ontario as a series of above average temperatures has started. However, not always sunny but fairly warm and humid at times.

Today, it's 26c and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is out for Hamilton and many other parts of the Lakeshore area excluding Toronto. A band of heavier precipatio is headed our way and it is likely to affect this area by 5-5:30. It's warm and will stay that way building higher as the weekend arrives but still with the risk of a Thunderstorm or sharp shower particulary in the afternoon. Temps by Sunday upto 28c widely and maybe even 30c/86f on Monday in T.O. with more sunshine.

Proper summer!

My family are arriving from Ayrshire on Saturday morning for two weeks here and there's alot planned. One additional bonus of it all is 2wks off work (that dreaded word!). Hoping that the indications given by Brett and many forecasts for a warmer than average spell in June continue to materilise, however regardless it is going to be a fantastic two weeks. Planning Graeme, to take them to see the Blue Jays next Wednesday probably v the Washington Nationals. The team having slipped in recent weeks down the AL East rankings and settling now around average .500 for the campaign so far. Alot of great potential in this side, hopefuly they can put a wee run together this month.

Probably won't have much time to post over the next couple of weeks, hope everyone back home enjoys the Euro's and maybe some more sun!

Take Care

That was summer is all about,.

Hi to all North American reporters. Please forgive me if I am about to wander off topic at times.

I note that a good number of the reports relate to the Ontario area. We [my wife, two teenage girls and myself] have been invited over to my cousin's daughter's wedding in Pickering next Summer in late June. We plan to stay over for a few weeks and would like some idea of what weather to expect, say from late June to the beginning of August.

I have to confess that I do have some idea having been over in the area during the Summer a few times before but as I was amazed to recall, not for twenty years or so.

Anyway to my other reason for posting. For one week we have the offer of a timeshare swap offer in one of several places for a week.

If anyone has any knowledge of the places I would much appreciate any feedback or advice.

They are Barrie, Horseshoe Valley; Collingwood; Thornbury; in Ontario.

Mont Tremblant; St Hyppolyte and Beaupre in Quebec.

My own thoughts are leaning towards St Hyppolyte as in an area I have not visited before as I have not been East of Ottawa before. Also not so much travelling as compared with Quebec as we will be driving. 

Any thoughts / ideas would be appreciated.

Sorry for being off topic though I did ask about the weather too

Weekend greetings all, I'm just back from a holiday in sunny and warm Crete, delighted to be returning to this cool chilly murk!

Sounds like a great trip, Norseman. I've been to a few of those locales. I would say you can't really go wrong. I love Georgian bay so somewhere like Thornbury would be great - great for the scenery, wildlife, camping, walking etc. I've got a couple of prints of Georgian Bay up on my walls at home, by the famous Group of Seven artists (this gallery is well worth a visit: http://www.mcmichael.com/collection/seven/index.cfm).

On the other hand Quebec would be great too. St Hyppolyte looks nice - I spent some time (including a white, snowy Halloween) at St Donat, not that far away. Though I have to say the region north of Quebec City (Charlevoix) was absolutely stunning, one of my favourites. You would be able to visit Quebec City as well as right up the St Lawrence (whale watching at Tadoussac, for example). Hard to resist that!

You're spoiled for choice - enjoy planning your trip!

As Stewart has been reporting it's been pretty much straight into mid-summer weather of late in southern Ontario (and southern Quebec). That continues this weekend, with temps in the upper twenties celsius, peaking in Ottawa and Montreal in the low 30s on Monday. Cooler and unsettled conditions moving through the Prairies with teh risk of some severe storms over the weekend, as highlighted by Brett:http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/anderson/severe-thunderstorms-this-weekend-and-el-nino-clue/66302

It's pretty hot over much of the eastern 2/3rds of the States with the 90f mark likely to be reached quite widely today: Dallas, Denver, St Louis, Chicago and Minneapolis, for example.

Enjoy the family visit Stewart, especially the baseball! The Blue Jays are doing okay - only three games back in a very tight and competitive division. Historically inter-league play has not been kind though, let's hope this year the Jays can win more than they lose and stay in the hunt by the All Star break (be good to see the Nationals, exciting young team).

Enjoy the weekend, whatever your weather!

(Thanks for the links, Tally and Polar Wind).

Thanks Graeme,

It does seem a bit like a win-win situation as long as we can get confirmed bookings in any of them. Looking forward to the trip already and my daughters can't wait having never been across before. My cousin and her family are coming over here in July so we will hopefully firm things up a bit more then.

Nor.

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/on-143_metric_e.html

That what summer is all about and they seem to be uneffected by the northern blocking and remember Toronto is level with France which is partly infected by northern blocking disease.

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/on-143_metric_e.html

Been there myself in 2007 and that place is around the same lattitude as London but rain or shine the temps stay warm.  Northern blocking did not infect them too. 

It's been more than a month since I last posted, sorry for the delay but work and other issues have been interfering with the ability to have a life!

This last month has tended on the cool and wet side - June monsoon time.  This coming week too looks like more of the same after Saturday - showery with temps not above mid-teens.  Had a few cracking thunderstorms as well which have made up for the lack of sunshine.

Will try to post more when I get the time.

 Peter 

July 2011 - June 2012 Stats
Elevation: 1084m
Latitude: 51° 6' N
Warmest Temperature: 30.4c 29/08/11
Coldest Temperature: -32.4c 18/01/12
Days with thunderstorms: 9
Days with rain falling: 45
Days with snow falling: 46
Days with snow lying: 103
Maximum snow depth: 6" (15cm)
Current snow depth 0" (0cm)