Storm Tracker

Kenora residents have experienced warmer temperatures than expected for early October.

Some may say that summer isn’t over yet even though we’re into early fall.

Over the past few weeks, Kenora has seen temperatures soar into the low to mid 20’s with an average high of 20.5 degrees Celsius already seen in the early parts of October. The average high for October is usually 8.8 degrees.

Peter Kimbell an Environment Canada Meteorologist spoke with KenoraOnline regarding the recent spike in temperatures.

The level of Lake of the Woods fell by 2 cm (1 inch) last week and sits at an average level of 322.47 m (1058.10ft), with puts the lake in less than the 5th percentile for this time of year.

The Lake of the Woods Control Board expects the lake to drop as much as 3 cm (1 in) over the next week.

On Friday, the outflow from Lake of the Woods was reduced from 100 to 90 m3/s.

For the second day in a row, Kenora has broken a heat record.

At 3 p.m., the mercury had already reached 27.2 degrees. The old record for September 29 was set in 1948 at 25 degrees.

Kenora narrowly beat out a heat record yesterday when the high reached 24.7 degrees, the previous record was 24.4 degrees set in 1948 at the Kenora Airport.

By just a hair, the Kenora area broke a heat record yesterday afternoon.

Environment Canada reports that September 28’s record high was 24.7 degrees, beating out 1948’s record of 24.4 degrees at the Kenora Airport.

Summer will officially come to an end as of today at 2:21 p.m. CDT (September 22, 2021) with the first day of fall beginning after.

This summer was filled with unusually hot temperatures and drought-like conditions that saw a significant increase in forest fire activity.

Now more than three weeks in September, the forecast moving forward is supposed to include higher than normal temperatures.

The storm has passed.

Environment Canada is tracking a severe thunderstorm capable of producing very strong winds gusts, nickel to ping pong size ball size hail, and heavy rain.

A severe thunderstorm warning has been put into effect for the Kenora, Grassy Narrows, Whitedog, Sioux Narrows, Nestor Falls, and Morson areas.

Forest fires have been the biggest topic of discussion this summer as Northwestern Ontario has endeared its worst fire season in recent memory.

As the forest fire season comes to an end Greg Rickford the Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources, and Forestry wanted to thank all those that battled forest fires this summer in the province.

“I’m just so grateful to the people from across the country, and in fact around the world who came into help. It was a record year for fires,” said Rickford

The Northwest Region of Ontario has undergone a horrific fire season, very hot and dry summer conditions with little rain created the presence of many large forest fires. 

Recent cooler temperatures and much-needed rain to the region have cooled down fire-rich areas, that previously were out of control blazes.

As the forest fire season dwindles down as summer turns to fall, the MNRF was able to provide an update on the current status of some of the region's larger fires.

The Kenora area has been blessed with much-needed rain in the past couple of weeks that has brought relief from the heat that the area has experienced throughout the summer.

So much rain has fallen that the area exceeded the monthly precipitation average for August. This is the first time this summer the area has met or exceeded a monthly rain average.

Environment Canada was able to provide insight on exactly how much rain the area received.

Good news for those waiting to have a bonfire.

As of 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, September 1st, the Restricted Fire Zone is being lifted.

Residents in the southern portion of the Kenora and Dryden districts and the Fort Frances district will once again be able to burn grass, debris and have bonfires.

The Restricted Fire Zone was issued earlier this summer as the region experienced one of the worst forest fire seasons on record.