Pacific Region (BC)

British Columbia experienced an extremely hot September with temperatures more than 5°C above normal. Many locations throughout the province broke daily maximum temperature record including Vancouver, Kelowna, Cranbrook, Williams Lake, and Dease Lake. Much of the province including the north-northeast, the central and southern Interior, the Similkameen, and the Kootenays received 25 to 50% of normal September precipitation.

 Prairie Region (AB, SK, MB)

Warm and dry conditions dominated much of the western Prairies, while the eastern Prairies received above normal precipitation and more seasonal temperatures through September. Temperatures were generally 2 to 5 °C above normal across all three provinces with the warmest temperatures being recorded in Alberta. Nearly all of Alberta and western Saskatchewan received less than 25% of normal precipitation this month. However, eastern Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba received above normal precipitation, including a portion of southeastern Saskatchewan and parts of southwestern Manitoba, where localized storms brought up to 200% of normal precipitation. Overall, drought persisted and expanded in the western Prairies while moderate improvement occurred in eastern Saskatchewan and southeastern Manitoba.

Central Region (ON, QC)

In Ontario, short-term dryness has led to the expansion of drought conditions in September. In southern Ontario Abnormally Dry (D0) and Moderate Drought (D1) expanded. Eastern Ontario saw the expansion of Severe Drought (D2), additionally three new pockets of Extreme Drought (D3) emerged north of Orilla, north of Peterborough and from Kingston towards Ottawa. Eastern Ontario faced critically low water supplies, prompting Level 3 low-water advisories across several watersheds and urging residents to reduce their water use by half.

In Quebec, drought expanded and intensified this month. Abnormally Dry (D0) to Severe Drought (D2) expanded in southern Quebec and Extreme Drought (D3) emerged Extreme Drought (D3) in the Gaspe Region and near Val d’Or. Northern Quebec saw the expansion of Abnormally Dry (D0) to Moderate Drought (D1).

Atlantic Region (NS, NB, PE, NL)

In New Brunswick, drought extent and severity expanded in September with much of the province in Severe Drought (D2) or Extreme Drought (D3). Extreme Drought (D3) stretched across eastern parts of the province; as well as area of Exceptional Drought (D4) which emerged in the southeast where continued precipitation deficits have resulted in significant drought impacts.

On Prince Edward Island, drought conditions remained relatively unchanged, with Extreme Drought (D3) still covering the entire province.

Nova Scotia endured one of its driest late-summer periods on record. Most of the province received less than 40% of normal precipitation. Precipitation deficits were largest along the Bay of Fundy and the western half of the province, as a result Extreme Drought (D3) expanded across much of the province and a pocket of Exceptional Drought (D4) emerged in parts of the southwest.

In Newfoundland, eastern areas saw the expansion of Severe Drought (D2) and minor edits to Extreme Drought (D3) that is now across the Avalon Peninsula. Late-month rainfall of 10 to 20 mm on the Avalon provided some short-term relief, but not enough to offset long-term deficits. Similarly, western areas of Newfoundland also saw the expansion of Moderate Drought (D1) conditions and the emergence of a pocket of Severe Drought (D2) across the Northern Peninsula. The municipality of Hughes Brooks in northwestern Newfoundland declared a state of emergency as its reservoir dropped to critically low levels.