The summer-like weather that has lingered in Toronto since late last week will soon come to an end but temperatures could remain above seasonal into the weekend, an Environment Canada climatologist says.
Toronto has seen daytime temperatures in the high 20Cs for the last four consecutive days, with the humidity often making it feel like the low 30s.
On Monday afternoon, the temperature was expected to reach a high of 28 C but feel closer to 32 with the humidity. That is about 12 C warmer than normal this time of year.
“I would bet more loonies on the fact that we won’t see these (temperatures) like 28, 29, 30 from this point on,” Dave Phillips, senior climatologist for Environment Canada, told CP24 on Monday. “On the weekend we could see temperatures that are 2, 3, 4 degrees that are warmer than normal. So, we still won’t be talking about the frost, we still won’t be talking about getting your snow tires on, we’ll still be talking about summer weather.”
The temperatures were so hot over the weekend that the Blue Jays were able to host playoff games with the roof open at the Rogers Centre, something that had only happened once before in the history of the franchise.
Phillips said that while Toronto will get a dose of “reality” in the form of “some Canadian air” starting mid-week it is possible that by the weekend we will again see “the kind of dry, mild, sunny weather that will keep that dome open.”
The decision on whether to open the Rogers Centre roof for playoff games rests solely with Major League Baseball.
“If its not watching the Blue Jays, you can actually be enjoying the outdoor scenery and that’s going to continue,” Phillips said of the weather. “I’m not even going to say the F word (frost) until maybe three weeks from now.”
Rain is expected on Tuesday, which will see a cooler daytime high of 21 C, feeling like 27 when factoring in the humidex.
The air will feel much more brisk on Wednesday, when the high drops to just 16 C.
Thursday and Friday will also see sunny skies and daytime highs of 16 C on each day respectively.
Saturday and Sunday will bring a mix of sun and cloud and daytime highs of 17 C.
The future is warm, Phillips said.
“Our models are showing for October and November, we’re seeing more of the same, now not as warm as this but certainly above normal temperatures.”
“My sense is that its not over, and neither are the Blue Jays over.”
