Canada Climate – May 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, and Ottawa
This month in numbers
Canada experienced its 10th warmest May on record, with an average temperature of 3.74°C, which is 1.7°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. Globally, May 2026 was the 2nd warmest May on record for land temperatures, at 15.79°C, an anomaly of +1°C. The three-month period from March to May 2026 ranked as the 17th warmest on record for Canada, with an average temperature of -4.99°C, an anomaly of +1.5°C.
What changed
Canada's May temperature anomaly of +1.7°C was notably warmer than the North America group average of +1.35°C, placing Canada as the 3rd warmest in its group for the month. The country has also seen a long-term warming trend, with the latest full-year average temperature in 2025 being -1.75°C, making it the 2nd warmest year on record. This continues a trend of warming, with the long-term trend showing an increase of +1.69°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline.
What’s driving change?
The warming trend in Canada is influenced by several factors, including , where high northern latitudes are warming at an accelerated rate. A significant heatwave affected parts of the Prairies in late May, with temperatures reaching the low to mid-30s Celsius, and some areas experiencing humidex values in the upper-30s. This heat, combined with persistent drought conditions across approximately 9% of Canada in May, particularly in south-central Alberta and the southern interior of British Columbia, has contributed to an elevated wildfire risk. As of mid-May, over 108 active wildfires were burning across the country, primarily in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. The developing El Niño is also expected to play a significant role, typically bringing warmer and drier conditions to Western Canada and potentially influencing hurricane season and wildfire risk.
Looking ahead
Forecasters indicate above-normal temperatures for nearly all Canadian regions for June, July, and August, with British Columbia facing the highest and most sustained fire risk.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Canada
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Canada – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – Canada
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfc · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Canada. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (-4.8°C, from 1941–1970); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 35.9°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jan (+3.8°C).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Baseline: 1961–1990 mean. Anomaly: difference from that baseline. Rank: position in the full record (1st = highest ever). Record: highest (or lowest) value on record with its year.
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Canada
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Canada changing?
Canada is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Canada come from?
Climate data for Canada comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Canada climate data cover?
The Canada climate profile covers Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Canada
How often is the Canada climate update refreshed?
The Canada climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.