Toronto expected to be hotter and wetter than usual this summer

If steamy, tropical weather gets you in the mood to relax, party, or otherwise enjoy life after a particularly challenging stretch of time, you'll be pleased with how summer 2021 is shaping up in Toronto.

The season that most Canadians can safely say is their favourite (by far) kicked off in a formal context yesterday, June 20, with the arrival of the summer solstice.

It was hot, sunny and humid day — one that meteorologists expect will be typical for Toronto in the months to come.

"We've already found out where our linens are and how to make those summer drinks, get the fan working, the air conditioning," said Environment Canada Senior Climatologist Dave Phillips to CP24 of recent weather trends, noting that Toronto could also get "a warmer and wetter summer than normal."

"I think we have had a total of six days where the temperature has been above 30. That's a mark of a warmer than normal summer," said Phillips. "June has certainly almost been about three degrees warmer than normal."

Our summer forecast features great weather for enjoying the beach and backyard barbecues, as most of Canada will see near-normal or above-normal temperatures, and more than the typical number of sunny days. ⁦@gtaweather1⁩ https://t.co/IIzGBZbEWz

— Ashis Basu (@BasuAshis) June 21, 2021

Models currently show warmer than average temperatures for July, August and September, according to Phillips, though it's not yet clear if summer 2021 will be quite as hot as summer 2020.

It will be sunny, though, if meteorologists are correct — sunnier than usual, at least, even despite the presence of some strong thunderstorms and "moisture-laden systems."

"An abundance of sunshine with near-normal or slightly above-normal temperatures are expected across most of the province," wrote The Weather Network in an update to its summer 2021 forecast released Sunday.

"The warmest weather relative to normal is expected across southern and eastern Ontario, including Toronto and Ottawa, and also for areas near and west of Lake Superior," reads the report.

"Periods of cooler weather will break up the heat at times, but there should be enough hot weather to tip the final numbers to the warm side of normal."