In contrast with Environment Canada's summer weather outlook, the Old Farmer's Almanac is predicting a colder summer.
Managing editor Jack Burnett says he's anticipating a slightly cooler and drier than normal summer, but not by much.
"We're looking for June to have pretty much average temperatures, which is about 15.5. July may be a degree cooler, August a degree cooler, but when you average that all out, that's not really anything to speak of. When you do weather forecasts and look at weather over the long term, whether it's months or years or whatever, it takes a lot of extreme differences that move the needle. So, while we say a little bit cooler, it's not going to be by much. Same thing for drier, nothing for anybody to worry about. They were looking for June to be about 20 millimetres (of precipitation) below normal. July to be ten above and then August is going to be ten above, so it's going to be a pretty much normal summer as far as precipitation goes."
Burnett states that these summer conditions will be excellent for farmers, ranchers, vacationers, hikers and gardeners.
On the other hand, Environment Canada is calling for hotter than normal weather this summer. Senior Climatologist David Phillips says it might take a bit to get there in early June, but the rest of the month will more than makeup for it and July and August are both looking to be nice and warm as well.
"It will be slightly warmer, slightly wetter, but again not by much. When we say fall, we're talking about September and October. So, we're looking at September to be about 25 millimetres more precipitation than normal. October to be about the same. That averages out to be about 10-12 millimetres more, which again is not very much. September may be a degree cooler than normal. October is two or three degrees warmer than normal, so you can see when you put all that together, it's going to be a nice fall, too. We're looking at four or five months, at least, of average weather."
The managing editor adds that there will undoubtedly be some dry, cool, and rainy spells, but that comes with the territory.
"You know, it's not like Miami Beach. The way the weather works these days, things tend to go in stretches. We know when we have droughts. We know when we have rainy periods, and as you well know, in your area, for all the growers out there, it's important to take things in balance."