Environment Canada's Top Weather Stories for 2001

OTTAWA, December 27, 2001 - EnvironmentCanada's ever-popular list of the nation's top ten weather stories is now available. Revisit the wild and wacky weather of 2001 as compiled by David Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment Canada and our nation's favourite weather man.

Topping Phillips' list of memory makers for 2001 is the coast to coast drought that parched the nation. Crops from the prairies to Prince Edward Island withered under the scorching heat and water rationing was widespread.

The year 2001 was also the ninth warm year in a row for Canada and likely its third warmest in over 50 years of records. Canada has also had an unprecedented stretch of 18 consecutive warmer-than-normal seasons - an unbroken streak of four and a half years. Our nation is in step with the rest of the world. Globally, it was the second warmest year on record. According to the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, the global average temperature has increased markedly over the past 25 years. Nine of the ten warmest years globally have occurred since 1990.

The list has something for everyone, including gale-force winds and tree topplings in British Columbia, a warm, rainy January in Alberta, the first humidex advisory in Saskatchewan in 30 years and a hailstorm from hell in Winnipeg. Ontario was hit with endless smog advisories and freak lightning deaths, and Montreal dug out of the most snow it had seen in a quarter century. Fredericton suffered 20 days with temperatures over 30° C and Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island was hit by the "Perfect Storm". Winter's favourite target, St. John's, was slammed by almost every winter storm that crossed North America.

Related documents:

• Canada's Top Ten Weather Stories for 2001 - [backgrounder, 2001-12-27]