It’s been a tail of two halves across North America this September so far with summer warmth holding firm over the Eastern US and this warmth has extended up into Eastern Canada too over Western and Central Canada we’ve skipped to late October or November. In fact this could be one of the coldest September’s on record for parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The temperature contrast has been significant even across Canada never mind the continent where it’s been barely above freezing and snowing in Edmonton while it’s been in the 30s for Toronto.

https://twitter.com/TiffanyGlobal/status/1043291414166204417

https://twitter.com/AmethystKing1/status/1043116281669419008

Further east along the shores of Hudson Bay

https://twitter.com/Pat_wx/status/1043817367871135744

In recent days, some of the arctic air has filtered down into Quebec, Labrador and the Maritimes!

https://twitter.com/MeteoAntoine/status/1043483319420235778

https://twitter.com/Pat_wx/status/1044548897564168192

So why such a contrast? Blame strong upper ridging over Alaska which is driving arctic air southward further east while over in the eastern side of the country, strong ridging over the Middle Atlantic states is pumping warm, humid summer-like air north.

Unusually warm water off the US East Coast has contributed to the unusual strength and persistence of the East Coast high during summer and especially September.

Looks like the chilly pattern pushes south and east and holds well into October.

Tags: canada, record cold, september cold, september snow