Northwestern Ontario in October has experienced atypical summer-like conditions, with air conditioners running, people swimming in Lake Superior, and persistent mosquito activity. Over the past weekend, the region saw record-breaking temperatures due to a strong south and southwest airflow. Thunder Bay hit 28.4°C on Saturday, surpassing the previous 1922 record of 24.4°C.
Numerous areas in northwestern Ontario, including Armstrong, Atikokan, Dryden, Ear Falls, and Fort Frances, also set new temperature records by margins of three to four degrees, a rarity according to meteorologist Geoff Coulson. In addition to high temperatures, gusty winds and hail warnings were prominent. Though no large hail reports were confirmed, winds up to 70 km/h and heavy rainfall were observed, particularly in the northwest region from Lake of the Woods to Cat Lake.
While a slight cooling is anticipated, Environment Canada predicts a warmer-than-usual October in the northwest, continuing the trend from September. Climatologist Graham Saunders noted the benefits of the warmth for agriculture but highlighted concerning trends such as increased tornadoes and winter precipitation changes in the region. Saunders expects a shift to more autumn-like conditions with frost likely by the week’s end.