Relief from sweltering conditions expected in parts of Canada after record-breaking heat

Sweltering heat is expected to break in the coming days for many Canadians after Monday's scorching temperatures broke dozens of daily heat records across the country.

Relief is coming first for southern British Columbia, where a multi-day heat wave is expected to end on Tuesday. 

Monday's temperatures broke or tied daily heat records in nine regions in the province, according to Environment Canada, six of which were located on Vancouver Island. 

That included the Victoria area, which saw temperatures reach 33.8 C, nearly two degrees warmer than the 31.9 C record set in 1990.

New heat records stretched as far north as Pemberton on the mainland, with the weather agency reporting temperatures of 37.4 C, beating the 1977 daily temperature record by a small fraction.

Hot conditions are expected to continue through Wednesday in southern Ontario, stretching north past Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and east through southern Quebec.

The national weather agency said cooler temperatures are expected to sweep through the area by Tuesday evening, providing relief from the 30 C temperatures and near 40 humidex values.

In the Maritimes, high temperatures are expected to remain through to Wednesday, while parts of Newfoundland will see similar conditions breaking on Thursday or Friday.

Dozens of daily heat records were shattered across the Atlantic provinces on Monday, according to the national weather agency, surpassing temperature records previously set as far back as the late 1800s.

Miramichi, N.B., broke a more than 150-year-old temperature record with the heat climbing to 37.6 C Monday, just under one degree below a record set in 1876. Fredericton also surpassed a daily high of 35 C from 1893 by a tiny fraction. 

Monday's heat in some Newfoundland and Labrador regions even set new monthly extreme temperature records for August, according to Environment Canada.

La Scie, N.L., set a new monthly high of 31.5 C yesterday, breaking a previous August heat record of 31 C set on Aug. 7, 1990. Similarly, the Labrador region of Mary's Harbour broke a monthly record from Aug. 6, 1990 by almost two degrees.

Amid the heat, an Agriculture Canada update shows Nova Scotia, eastern Newfoundland, southeastern New Brunswick and portions of Prince Edward Island shifting into moderate and severe drought conditions over the past month, with rainfall levels plummeting to 60 per cent of normal levels in Halifax.

In eastern Ontario, water conservation efforts are underway with rainfall down 40 per cent and a citywide burn ban in place for Ottawa.

Agriculture Canada reported that fully 71 per cent of the country was classified as abnormally dry or as being in a moderate to extreme drought by the end of July.

Environment Canada advises people to limit the amount of time they spend outdoors and to monitor for signs of heat exhaustion in these conditions.

— With files from Vanessa Tiberio in Toronto, Michael Tutton in Halifax and Sarah Ritchie in Ottawa.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick