This is the coldest July Windsor has had in 22 years.
Environment Canada’s senior meteorologist David Phillips said this month looks like it will close with an average temperature of 20.5 C, 2.5 C below what is normal.
Environment Canada’s senior climatologist, Dave Phillips. (Windsor Star files)
“June was warmer by almost a full degree, which is just shocking,” said Phillips. “That just doesn’t happen. July is the warmest month and the fact that June beat it out was quite something.”
This past Monday also set a low record high of 20.9 C, making it the coldest afternoon for July 28 in Windsor’s history.
“[That] night it was 12 degrees. It was very, very cold,” said University of Windsor student Javed Khan. “It should not be that cold in this month of July.”
Just this month there has only been two days above 30 C, whereas the normal is nine. “It wasn’t as if it was so cold, it just wasn’t warm,” said Phillips.
The entirety of the summer has also seen a low number of hot days. “We’ve had seven,” said Phillips. “Where normally you would have 16 of those suckers.”
Windsorites have found the odd weather distressing. Victoria Angelini has had to switch her car’s air conditioning for the heater. “It’s completely unpredictable and you never know what to dress for,” said Angelini. “I don’t like how one day and rains and one day it’s extremely hot. Or one day it’s cold and then the other day is nice.”
Phillips said the cold weather has had some benefits for the average person, saving money on air conditioning during a month where it would usually be going full blast. However, the lack of hot days plus the delayed planting season this spring has had a negative effect on agriculture.
“Everything has been held up a little bit and put back because of the late start,” said Larry Verbeke, a Leamington farmer and director of the Essex County Federation of Agriculture, “but hopefully it will come around.”
“Growers who need their crops to ripen and mature and be ready for harvest may be pleased by August temperatures,” said Phillips. He said that Environment Canada predicts August will be warmer than July and that the harvest season should be delayed by only a week.
Soccer players and parents run for shelter as rain pours down at the Ford Test Track Windsor, Ontario on July 29, 2014. Play was cancelled after lightning was present. (JASON KRYK/The Windsor Star)
Scot Fryer and his daughter Mikayla run as rain pours down as soccer games were cancelled due to lightning at the Ford Test Track Windsor, Ontario on July 29, 2014. (JASON KRYK/The Windsor Star)
