Climate Trends and Variations Bulletin – Annual 2023
Annual 2023 bulletin (PDF, 2.1 MB)
This bulletin summarizes recent climate data and presents it in a historical context. It first examines the national average temperature for the season and then highlights interesting regional temperature information.
Over the past decade, precipitation monitoring technology has evolved and Environment and Climate Change Canada and its partners implemented a transition from manual observations to using automatic precipitation gauges. Extensive data integration is required to link the current precipitation observations to the long-term historical manual observations. The update and reporting of historical adjusted precipitation trends and variations will be on temporary hiatus pending the extensive data reconciliation, and will resume thereafter. ECCC remains committed to providing credible climate data to inform adaptation decision making, while ensuring the necessary data reconciliation occurs as monitoring technology evolves.
- Temperature departures and rankings data table (CSV, 9 kB)
- Temperature trends and extremes data table (CSV, 2 kB)
National Temperature
The national average temperature for the year 2023 (January to December) was 2.8°C above the baseline average (defined as the mean over the 1961–1990 reference period), based on preliminary data, which ranked the 2nd warmest observed since nationwide recording began in 1948. The warmest year occurred in 2010, when the national average temperature was 3.0°C above the baseline average. The coolest year occurred in 1972, when the national average temperature was 2.0°C below the baseline average. The temperature departures map (below) shows that most of the Northwest Territories and western Nunavut experienced noticeably warmer temperatures by at least 4.0°C above the baseline average, while the surrounding region experienced warmer temperatures between 2.5°C – 4.0°C above the average. The rest of the country experienced temperatures more than 1.5°C above the average, except for the temperature in areas in eastern Newfoundland and Labrador and western British Columbia exceeded 0.5°C above the baseline average.
Temperature Departures from the 1961–1990 Average – Annual 2023
Long description
The temperature departures map shows that most of the Northwest Territories and western Nunavut experienced noticeably warmer temperatures by at least 4.0°C above the baseline average, while the surrounding region experienced warmer temperatures between 2.5°C – 4.0°C above the average. The rest of the country experienced temperatures more than 1.5°C above the average, except for the temperature in areas in eastern Newfoundland and Labrador and western British Columbia exceeded 0.5°C above the baseline average.
The time series graph (below) shows that annual temperatures averaged across the country have fluctuated from year to year over the 1948–2023 period. Since 2005, average annual temperatures have remained above the baseline average. The linear trend indicates that annual temperatures averaged across the nation have warmed by 2°C over the past 76 years.
Annual National Temperature Departures and Long-term Trend, 1948–2023
Long description
The time series graph shows that annual temperatures averaged across the country have fluctuated from year to year over the 1948–2023 period. Since 2005, average annual temperatures have remained above the baseline average. The linear trend indicates that annual temperatures averaged across the nation have warmed by 2°C over the past 76 years.
Regional Temperature
When examined on a regional basis, the average annual temperature for 2023 was ranked among the 10 warmest on record for every climate region since 1948: Mackenzie District (warmest at 4.0°C above the baseline average); Yukon/North B.C. Mountains (warmest at 3.3°C above the baseline average); Northwestern Forest (warmest at 2.9°C above the baseline average); South B.C. Mountains (warmest at 2.1°C above the baseline average); Arctic Tundra (2nd warmest at 3.5°C above the baseline average); Great Lakes/St. Lawrence (3rd warmest at 2.1°C above the baseline average); Arctic Mountain and Fiords (4th warmest at 2.7°C above the baseline average); Northeastern Forest (4th warmest at 2.4°C above the baseline average); Prairies (4th warmest at 2.0°C above the baseline average); Pacific Coast (4th warmest at 1.4°C above the baseline average); Atlantic Canada (7th warmest at 1.6°C above the baseline average). Average annual temperatures for all eleven climate regions exhibit positive trends over the 76 years of record. The strongest regional trend (+2.8°C) was observed in the Mackenzie District region, while the weakest trends (+1.2°C) were found in the Atlantic Canada.
Tables listing the Annual regional and national temperature departures and rankings from 1948 to 2023 (CSV, 9kB) and summarizing the Annual regional and national trends and extremes (CSV, 2kB) are available through the above links or upon request at:
Please note that notifications of the latest publication of the Climate Trends and Variations Bulletin (CTVB) can be sent directly to your inbox when the bulletin is published on our website. For more information, please visit:
Moreover, the latest generation of CANGRD has now been adopted in the analyses of the CTVB. For more information, please visit:
The map of Canadian Climate Regions
Long description
A map that shows the Canadian Climate Regions: Atlantic Canada, Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Lowlands, Northeastern Forest, Northwestern Forest, Prairies, South British Columbia Mountains, Pacific Coast, North British Columbia Mountains/Yukon, Mackenzie District, Arctic Tundra, Arctic Mountains and Fiords.
Page details
- Date modified: