Warmer than normal summer predicted for northeastern Ontario

If you're hoping for a hot summer, Environment Canada's prediction for the upcoming season is one you'll want to hear.

After a longer winter and spring than normal, senior climatologist David Phillips said hot temperatures are expected throughout the summer in northeastern Ontario.

"We're saying it's going to be warmer than normal. So some good beer drinking weather," Phillips told CBC's Morning North.

"We think not necessarily not everyday, not every week, but we think the flavour of the summer ahead — what's left of May, June, July and August — will be warmer than normal."

Phillips said last year Sudbury only saw one "beer drinking day" over 30 degrees celsius, while the previous year had 12 such days.

"So we think this year will be more like not last summer, but the summer before where we saw it warmer than normal and quite to people's liking."

Precipitation hard to predict

One thing Phillips can't predict is how wet the season might be, but he added there has been less precipitation since the start of the year.

"We've seen maybe 100 millimeters less precipitation than normal, and that maybe is concerning to you as you get later on for gardens, and forests and what have you. But I don't think it's something to worry about quite yet."

And if you're considering taking a cross-country road trip on your summer vacation, Phillips has good news.

"It's almost delightfully boring across Canada, from coast to coast. We're saying across all of the provinces, we think the character of the summer ahead is showing warmer than normal."