Today's weather for Toronto, Canada22nd Nov 2009 00:00

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Weather Overview for Toronto

Toronto enjoys a mild semi-continental climate, much warmer than northerly regions of Canada. Summers are warm, even hot, winters are cold and rainfall is fairly low and even all year. The city is in Ontario on Lake Ontario, just northeast of Hamilton. Toronto is at a similar latitude to Bordeaux and Milan so the assumption that any part of Canada must be constantly covered in snow and ice is not beared out here.

Summer, from June till September, is pleasantly hot and more humid than other regions of Canada, with rain increasing towards the end of the season. The average high temperature rises from 22°C in June to a peak of 25°C in June, dropping slightly lower to 24°C in August then down to 20°C in September. The cooling effect of Lake Ontario means summer in Toronto is actually cooler than in many areas of Canada. Night time temperatures are refreshing: quite chilly at the beginning and end of the season but just right in the peak months. The early months of summer are the sunniest of the year and rainfall is, as always, quite low, falling in light showers on about ten days in each month. August and September are the wettest months in the year and sometimes receive thunderstorms, but rainfall is not dramatically reduced. The lake is warm enough for swimming from the beginning of July and the southwest wind blowing onto the lake makes it perfect for sailing.

Autumn, in October and November, cools off quickly. The average high temperature drops to 13°C in October and 7°C in November. The average low drops to 7°C in October and 2°C in November. The turning of the leaves around the lake is quite stunning, but you’ll have to admire it in hat and gloves. Sunshine lessens as the sky is more regularly overcast and precipitation often falls in a light drizzle. Hurricanes are very rare but have occurred around this time of year. Frost comes late to Toronto due to the comparative warmth of Lake Ontario. Fog is likely to come in off the lake.

Winter, from December till February, is cold and snowy, though not as snowy as some might expect. Prevailing winds in this season are from the northwest and so the majority of the winter’s snow falls on the southern shore; Toronto is on the northwest shore. However, strong easterly winds do blow heavy snow onto the city, usually later in the season. The average high falls to -1°C in January and February and the average low is below freezing for the entire season: -4°C in December, -8°C in January and -7°C in February. Lake Ontario’s surface usually freezes but its great depth prevents a complete freeze. The sky is often grey though this improves as the season progresses; the sun only comes out for two hours a day on average in December, three in January and four in February.

Spring, from March till May, is cool but becomes quite warm at the end of the season. The average high temperature rises above freezing to 4°C in March, 10°C in April and 16°C in May. Night times remain cold, below freezing in March, and cold winds often blow in from the lake making it feel much colder. Rainfall remains moderate. Snow usually thaws in the beginning of spring but the area has recently been experiencing early thaws in February. The sun slowly returns but the lake remains far too cold for swimming.

Toronto is receives much warmer winters than the rest of Canada due to its southerly location in the country and the moderating effects of Lake Ontario. Summers are slightly cooler than areas further west, away from the lakes, but not as cool as northern areas approaching the Arctic.

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