Environment and Climate Change Canada presents summer seasonal outlook and introduces new heat wave attribution system

June 11, 2024 – Gatineau, Quebec

Today, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) presented its seasonal outlook for summer 2024. Experts predict higher-than-normal temperatures throughout most of Canada, with normal to below-normal temperatures in coastal British Columbia.

Spring has already brought drought conditions and wildfires to British Columbia and Alberta. ECCC predicts below-normal precipitation across most of Canada will continue into the summer months.

Climate change is affecting Canadians’ health, safety, and quality of life. We are already facing record-breaking climate conditions, with wildfires and extreme heat becoming more frequent.

Understanding the causes and risks of extreme weather events can help Canadians make informed decisions to protect their health, safety, and property. For this reason, ECCC climate scientists have developed a new weather attribution system capable of rapidly identifying the link between extreme hot temperature events and human-caused climate change. Within about a week of an event occurring, climate scientists can now describe the role that human-caused climate change played in making a recent heat event more likely or intense.

Alerts help Canadians prepare to face severe weather events, save lives, and reduce the impacts on property and livelihoods. We urge the public to regularly monitor weather forecasts, take all weather alerts seriously, and get prepared for weather-related events by developing an emergency plan and being ready to adjust their travel plans. Canadians can download the WeatherCAN application in order to receive weather alert notifications directly on their mobile devices.

To ensure fairness for every generation, Canada must keep fighting climate change while adapting to the changes we are already seeing. This is why the Government of Canada worked in partnership with all levels of government and Indigenous groups to develop the National Adaptation Strategy. The strategy is a whole-of-society plan to reduce the risk of climate-related disasters, improve health outcomes, protect nature and biodiversity, build and maintain resilient infrastructure, and support a strong economy and its workers.