OTTAWA — Farmers readying the combines for harvest could get a summer extension with warmer-than-normal temperatures on tap for autumn, says a senior climatologist with Environment Canada.
“There is a lot of summery weather left in the air. If the forecast holds, there will be a lot of time to get harvest in. Farmers won’t be rushing,” says David Phillips, suggesting temperatures a degree to a degree and a half warmer than usual highs of 21 C in mid-September and 13 C in mid-October for the Ottawa region. “It doesn’t remove the risk of a surprise wintery look. It just means it’s a teaser.”
There are no guarantees in forecasting rainfall, but Eastern Ontario looks to be close to normal with a slight chance of being drier, says Phillips. The Ottawa area averages about 85 millimetres over 13 to 14 days per month for September, October, and November with four centimetres of snow thrown in by October.
The average date of the first frost isn’t until Oct. 7, Phillips says.
