If you’re wondering where the heck summer is this year, you may be left waiting until the end of July or early August before the weather turns warm and sunny.
Yet, despite the rainy days liberally sprinkled between scant sunny days, Environment Canada reports June — and so far July — are close to normal in terms of temperature and precipitation, although certainly cooler overall.
Doug Lundquist, a regional meteorologist with Environment Canada, said June was on average for its temperatures on the mid-Island. On average, it was 15.1 degrees Celsius. Normal is 15.1.
Last month was also really dry, with only nine millimeters of prcipitation recorded at the Qualicum Beach airport. Normal for June is 44.9 mm.
July so far, said Lundquist, has turned out to be more like a typical June.
“July so far has been cooler than normal,” he said. “The long weekend saw some warm weather, but not it’s a degree or two below normal.”
On July 11, there was a recorded 4.4 mm of rain. A typical July in Parksville and Qualicum Beach brings 25.9 mm. That amount, he added, probably inched closer to normal with the thunder, lightning and rain storms of Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Lundquist estimated that the area is feeling the final effects of the la Nina, and the pattern of cooler temperatures and rain could be ending soon. But exactly when that will happen is harder to predict.
“But it’s still more like June, than July,” he said.
Compared to the last 10 years, July 2011 has been colder than what residents have come to expect, he continued. The last really cold July was in 1993, and that year saw similar conditions to now, plus a warming of the weather in August and September.
Does that mean a later summer, lasting into September?
Perhaps, Lundquist said. That remains to be seen.