October in northwestern Ontario has had remarkably summer-like weather, with air conditioners running, people swimming in Lake Superior, and persistent mosquitoes. The weekend saw extreme heat, leading to the breaking of several longstanding weather records in the region. Geoff Coulson, a meteorologist at Environment Canada, explained that a strong south and southwest flow influenced many areas in northwestern Ontario and north of Lake Superior. Thunder Bay saw a new record temperature of 28.4°C on Saturday, surpassing the previous 1922 record of 24.4°C. Other areas like Armstrong, Atikokan, Dryden, Ear Falls, and Fort Frances also experienced record-breaking high temperatures, exceeding norms by three to four degrees, an unusual occurrence according to Coulson.
In addition to the high temperatures, strong winds and warnings of baseball-sized hail were notable over the weekend. While there were no confirmed reports of large hail, wind speeds reached up to 70 kilometers per hour, accompanied by rain. The most intense storms and significant rainfall, between 50 to 80 mm, occurred in the northwest areas from Lake of the Woods to Cat Lake.
Looking ahead, Environment Canada predicts a warmer-than-usual October in northwestern Ontario, continuing the trend from September. Temperatures are expected to be two to three degrees above average in Thunder Bay and even higher near the Manitoba border. Climatologist Graham Saunders noted the positive impact on agriculture but expressed concerns about increased tornadoes and changing winter patterns, such as more rain and freezing rain. While the start of October has been unseasonably warm, Saunders anticipates a return to fall-like weather soon, with frost expected in some northwest areas by the end of the week.