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

GATINEAU, QC, June 11, 2024 /CNW/ - 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.

Quick facts

• ECCC is the country's official source for weather information and severe weather warnings and is committed to providing Canadians with accurate and timely weather information, including severe weather alerts.
• Climate change is causing extreme temperatures at a greater frequency than in the past, increasing the severity of heat waves and contributing to the risk of drought and wildfires.
• Climate change also brings more intense rainfalls, which are expected to increase urban flood risks, and coastal flooding is expected to increase in many areas of Canada due to local sea-level rise. The intensity of the strongest hurricanes is also expected to be amplified, though the total number of tropical cyclones globally is not expected to go up.
• The latest forecasts and severe weather warnings are available through Environment and Climate Change Canada's weather website, the WeatherCAN application (available for Android and iOS devices), Weatheradio, and Hello Weather (1-833-794-3556).

Associated links

• ECCC's Weather Information
• WeatherCAN Application (Environment and Climate Change Canada)
• National Adaptation Strategy: Building Resilient Communities and a Strong Economy
• Extreme Weather Event Attribution
• Public Safety Canada – Get Prepared 
  
• Government of Canada shares seasonal outlook, wildfire projections and emergency preparedness measures 

Environment and Climate Change Canada's X (Twitter) page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

Contacts: Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]