Canada’s top 10 weather stories of 2025
About the top 10 weather stories of 2025
2025 saw its fair share of impactful weather events. We experienced the challenges of a changing climate, with more frequent and more devastating extreme weather events. There were intense wildfires, widespread floods, drought conditions, unprecedented heatwaves, and severe thunderstorms. As we faced these challenges, the resilience and adaptability of our communities shone through.
Every year, a team of our meteorologists carefully chooses the top ten weather stories to share, based on how much they affected communities (such as damage, cost, or size of the area affected), or their newsworthiness. These weather stories show us how important it is to be prepared and the need to adapt to ongoing environmental changes.
Have a look at the top ten weather stories that left their mark on 2025.
1. Canada's second-worst wildfire year on record
In 2025, we experienced the second-worst year of wildfires on record. The fires burned roughly 8.9 million hectares-larger than the area of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island combined. Almost half of the total area covered by fires was located in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where many fires grew extremely large and some even merged together.
The impacts were felt nationwide. Over 75,000 people were forced from their homes. At least 3 out of 5 people evacuated were from First Nations communities. Tragically, two people lost their lives in Manitoba.
In terms of area burned, 2025 ranked second only to the unprecedented wildfire season of 2023.
Late April and early May in Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland, Manitoba and Ontario
The season unfolded in waves across different regions. Fires flared up during long stretches of hot, dry, and windy weather. Widespread drought made forests and vegetation extremely flammable, adding to the intensity of the fires.
Not long after the winter's snow melted, warm and windy conditions quickly dried out forests across the West.
Alberta and British Columbia
By late April, the first wildfires of the season began popping up in parts of Alberta. In early May, activity began in central and northern British Columbia. In drought-stricken areas of northeastern British Columbia, some wildfires that first ignited in 2023 came to life for a third straight year after smouldering underground through two winters.
Newfoundland
Meanwhile, wildfire activity also ramped up on the opposite side of the country. A lack of winter snow left southeastern Newfoundland extremely dry by early May. On May 7, a wildfire near Adam's Cove in Conception Bay North triggered a local state of emergency and the evacuation of hundreds of residents. Forty-five structures were lost, including seven homes.
Manitoba and Ontario
Then, from May 11–14, record-breaking heat caused temperatures to soar into the mid and upper 30s°C in southern Manitoba and northwestern Ontario. The hot, windy weather fueled the rapid spread of wildfires near the Manitoba-Ontario border, forcing evacuations and destroying several buildings. Tragically, two people were killed on May 13 after being trapped by a fire in Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, where 28 homes and cabins were destroyed.
Late May in British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan
By late May, another round of warm, windy weather across the West caused explosive fire growth from northeastern British Columbia to Manitoba. On May 26, a wildfire north of Swan Hills, Alberta, forced the evacuation of the entire town. In northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, several large fires merged, threatening nearby communities. On May 28, thousands of people were evacuated in Manitoba, including the entire city of Flin Flon.
Both Saskatchewan and Alberta declared month-long states of emergency. the Canadian Armed Forces deployed to both provinces to provide firefighting support, and support evacuations of remote communities in Manitoba. The Humanitarian Workforce also supported evacuees across the two provinces. Highway closures and a lack of hotels further complicated mass evacuations across the regions, with some evacuees traveling as far away as Alberta and Ontario.
Further west on May 29, the Kiskatinaw River wildfire drove more evacuations south of Dawson Creek, British Columbia. In Alberta, gusty winds from a passing cold front intensified several fires, with some fires growing powerful enough to create their own thunderstorms. In Chipewyan Lake, Alberta, firefighters became temporarily trapped when a wildfire cut off the only escape route. More than half of the community's buildings, including critical infrastructure, were destroyed.
June and July in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Manitoba
On June 2, wildfires near La Ronge, Saskatchewan, prompted the evacuation of the community and surrounding areas. Further east, a wildfire near Denare Beach, Saskatchewan destroyed homes.
Throughout June and July, drifting plumes of wildfire smoke caused poor air quality across much of Canada and the United States. Prairie cities such as Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert, and Winnipeg saw their smokiest July on record. Elsewhere, fires caused problems across British Columbia at times, from Vancouver Island and the South Coast to the Interior.
On June 18, the town of Badger, Newfoundland, was briefly evacuated, and on July 4, residents of Lynn Lake, Manitoba, were evacuated for the second time that year. Manitoba redeclared a provincial state of emergency on July 10 as fires continued to threaten communities and forced thousands more from their homes.
August in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland
In August, significant rainfall finally brought relief to much of northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In the Atlantic provinces, however, weeks of warm, dry weather pushed fire danger to extreme levels. Forests were closed in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, while Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland issued fire bans. In Halifax, a wildfire at Bayers Lake triggered evacuations just west of the city, followed by another near Long Lake on August 14.
Fires also burned across Newfoundland, including the Paddy's Pond fire near St. John's and the Kingston wildfire in Conception Bay North. By August 19, the Kingston fire had scorched more than 8,000 hectares.
Late August and early September in British Columbia, Yukon and Northwest Territories
As summer turned to fall, most wildfire activity shifted back to western Canada. Record-breaking heat across British Columbia and Yukon from late August to early September worsened conditions, triggering evacuations in the Cariboo–Chilcotin region and closing the Coquihalla Highway north of Hope, British Columbia for two days. In the Northwest Territories, wildfires forced evacuations in Fort Providence and Whatì in late August. Smoke from the fires across the broader region reduced air quality in western Canada through September, particularly in British Columbia.
The vast area burned in 2025 continued the trend of worsening wildfire years. Four of the past five years saw well above-average area burned. With widespread impacts across the country, Canada's 2025 wildfire year will be remembered as one of the worst on record.
2. Drought deepens across much of the country
Drought gripped much of Canada in 2025, affecting communities nation-wide. It played a major role in this year's wildfire season. The drought also brought major impacts to agriculture, lowered water levels, and strained water supplies in many regions.
Long stretches of hot, dry weather during the summer caused drought to develop in some areas and worsen in others. Some regions received less than half their usual summer rainfall, including parts of British Columbia, the central and northern Prairies, eastern Ontario, and southern Quebec – along with much of the Maritimes and large areas of the North. According to the Canadian Drought Monitor, about 85% of the country was abnormally dry or in drought conditions as of the end of September, including roughly 76% of Canada's agricultural lands.
The widespread drought of 2025 was unusual in both scale and severity. Even in a country known for its vast fresh water, it served as a powerful reminder that no region is immune to drought.
British Columbia
In northeastern British Columbia, drought that began in 2021 continued to worsen. Low winter snowpacks and limited summer rainfall led to extremely poor soil moisture and reduced river flows. In Dawson Creek, a city of 15,000 people, officials warned in early September that only 150 days of stored water remained. The city introduced strict measures to conserve water.
Elsewhere in British Columbia, below normal snowpacks reduced hydroelectric power generation capacity for a third straight year. In September, fish protection orders were issued in the Thompson-Okanagan region as low river levels threatened salmon populations. Farmers across much of the province faced smaller crop yields and shortages of feed for livestock.
Alberta and Saskatchewan
In the Prairies, a relentlessly dry spring and summer fueled an active wildfire season throughout the boreal forest. Agricultural disasters were declared in many central and northern municipalities by late summer due to drought. Lakes dried up in parts of central Alberta. Only southern Alberta and parts of southwestern Saskatchewan had above-normal summer rainfall. Heavy rain in the headwaters of several Prairie river systems showed up in time to prevent more severe water shortages. This rain was much needed following a winter with far below-average mountain snowpacks.
Ontario
In parts of eastern Ontario, summer drought led to critically low water levels. Some communities asked residents to cut their water use by half. Water levels in the St. Lawrence River dropped so low that boats became stranded in the mud. Local farms were hit hard — apple orchards and non-irrigated fields saw smaller yields, while pumpkin crops were reduced by as much as 70%.
Atlantic Canada
The Maritimes also faced the rapid onset of severe drought after months with very little rain. July through September was the driest on record for several communities, including Amherst, Truro and Greenwood, Nova Scotia and Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Moncton and Saint John, New Brunswick and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island recorded their second-driest summer period, while Halifax had its third driest.
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
The dry conditions caused water shortages and serious impacts on agriculture. Brooks and streams dried up in some areas of Nova Scotia, prompting mandatory water restrictions in parts of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and surrounding areas. Wells ran dry in parts of New Brunswick, especially on Grand Manan Island. Crops were stressed, leading to smaller fruits and less apples, corn, beans, berries, pumpkins, potatoes, and livestock feed. To prevent wildfires, authorities introduced fire bans and land-use restrictions. In late August, residents took to social media celebrating even the faintest hint of rain in the sky.
Newfoundland
Parts of Newfoundland also endured extreme dryness. Following a winter with below-average snowpack, streams and lakes dropped to very low levels. In July, the main water intake pipe in the town of Bonavista became visible below the reservoir's surface. A mandatory water ban was issued, with residents being urged to conserve water by turning off taps while brushing their teeth and taking shorter showers. In August, the reservoir in Sunnyside dried up, forcing officials to distribute bottled water. In September, Hughes Brooks declared a state of emergency when its reservoir dropped to critical levels.
3. Powerful thunderstorms sweep central and eastern Ontario
From the evening of June 21 into the early hours of June 22, a destructive thunderstorm system brought torrential rain and damaging winds across much of central and eastern Ontario.
The weekend storms knocked out power to tens of thousands, damaged property, and made travel impossible in some areas due to washed-out roads and tree debris. Countless trees were flattened by fierce wind gusts as the storms swept southeastward across the heavily forested landscape. Among those camping in the storm's path, several people were injured, and one person was tragically killed by falling trees.
The event was a sobering reminder of how quickly conditions can turn hazardous outdoors.
Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park
When the strengthening storms passed east of North Bay around 9 p.m., Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park took a direct hit. One man narrowly escaped injury when a tree crashed through the roof of his cabin, while another suffered a broken leg after a tree fell onto his trailer. More trailers, tents, and vehicles were struck by falling trees, prompting an evacuation of the park that was made extremely difficult by the debris.
An investigation by the Northern Tornadoes Project found that the destruction in the area was caused by a downburst. A downburst is a mass of air that rapidly plunges from a thunderstorm and spreads outward along the ground. These produce damage from straight-line winds, rather than from the rotating winds of a tornado. Some of these gusts were estimated to have reached an incredible 190 km/h in the area, carving a path of destruction roughly 30 kilometres long and up to 7 kilometres wide.
Algonquin Provincial Park
In nearby Algonquin Provincial Park, heavy rain washed out the only road into a nearby campground. One nearby fire weather station recorded 87 millimetres of rain in just two hours. This led to another evacuation, with stranded campers airlifted to safety by helicopter the next day.
The frightening ordeal continued elsewhere in Algonquin Provincial Park. Late that evening, emergency responders received a satellite SOS signal from a mother and her 13-year-old son camping at North Depot Lake. Rescuers travelled 25 kilometres of debris covered roads and trails, clearing fallen trees with chainsaws as they went. They paddled the final 300 metres by canoe to reach the pair. The boy had suffered serious injuries when a tree fell onto their tent and was flown to hospital by float plane at first light.
St. Lawrence Valley
The storm system produced more downbursts as it pushed southeast toward the St. Lawrence Valley. Just before 2:00 a.m., estimated wind gusts of 115 km/h tore through an area near Mallorytown, leaving a path of damage 9 kilometres long and up to 5 kilometres wide. Tragically, a man was killed and his daughter injured when a tree fell on their tent at a local campground before the storms moved off into New York State.
4. May heatwave and dry conditions intensify wildfires in Manitoba
Not long after winter released its icy grip on the landscape, an intense, early heatwave began to scorch the Canadian Prairies. By May 7, Alberta had already broken daily high temperature records. Just a day later, all three Prairie provinces broke records, with daytime temperatures soaring well into the 30s°C.
In southern Manitoba, the heat turned downright stifling between May 11 and 13, with highs over 35°C on all three days at some southerly stations. Emerson led the way on May 11, reaching 37.8°C. On May 13, Winnipeg hit 37°C, marking its second-hottest day ever recorded in May. Even nights offered little relief, with many locations setting record-warm minimum temperatures.
Conditions had been drier than normal across the region for at least a year, and it was still brown across the landscape following winter. After a few days of hot and dry weather, forests were extremely dry. When on May 12, new wildfires ignited in southeastern Manitoba and northwestern Ontario they spread rapidly in the hot southerly winds. The largest fire burned in Manitoba's Nopiming Provincial Park, ballooning to over 100,000 hectares by May 15.
Authorities declared states of emergency as nearly 1,000 residents in Manitoba fled their homes. Another 1,200 people evacuated west of Kenora, Ontario, in the Wabaseemoong Independent Nations area. In Manitoba's cottage country near Lac du Bonnet, flames destroyed 28 structures. Tragically, two people lost their lives when first responders could not reach them due to the intensity of the fire.
Rainfall in the days that followed brought a momentary reprieve across the region. But the relief was short-lived. The wildfires of mid-May marked only the opening chapter of what would become a long, challenging wildfire season that would spread far and wide across many other parts of the country.
5. When everything froze: Major ice storm brings Ontario to a standstill
Ontario and Quebec endured prolonged freezing rain from March 28–31, causing severe ice buildup and leading to widespread impacts throughout the two provinces.
As rain fell, it froze on contact, coating everything exposed to the elements in ice. Powerlines sagged and trees drooped beneath the glassy burden, until the air became filled with the sound of tree limbs breaking and crashing to the ground. Millions of homes and businesses across Ontario and Quebec were plunged into darkness, marking the most unnerving of times.
Freezing rain lingered in parts of Ontario as a slow-moving Colorado Low crept in from the west. It fell for 21 hours in Sault Ste. Marie and Ottawa, 26 hours in Sudbury, and a staggering 35 hours in Trenton – allowing ice to build to an incredible thickness in some areas. Barrie saw 15 millimetres of ice buildup, Orillia 19, Peterborough and Harrowsmith 20, and Lindsay an astounding 25 millimetres. Photos from residents showed everything from branches to tree blossoms entombed in perfectly clear blobs of ice, which might be beautiful if not so destructive.
While impacts from the ice storm were felt everywhere from northeastern and southern Ontario to southwestern Quebec, the hardest hit areas occurred in a belt through central and eastern Ontario. The City of Orillia, the District of Muskoka, the community of Oro-Medonte, and the City of Peterborough all declared states of emergency, as power poles snapped and tree branches collapsed onto powerlines, homes and vehicles. As many as 380,000 customers were without power at once across Ontario during the afternoon of March 30.
Temperatures dropped uncomfortably low in many homes, prompting authorities to open warming centers – converting a unique variety of accessible spaces into public hot spots - like city buses. With sump pumps disabled by the outage, numerous basements flooded. Hydro crews navigated nearly impassable roads littered in tree debris. It took many days to get the power back on, especially in more remote areas.
In eastern Ontario, the storm contributed to nearly 100 vehicle collisions, leaving several people injured and tragically claiming one life. Numerous roads were closed across Ontario, as well as schools and businesses at the start of the following week.
Ontario's Hydro One called it the province's worst ice storm since the historic event of 1998.
6. Memorable snowstorms blanket central and eastern Canada in 2025
The winter and fall of 2025 delivered a series of remarkable and disruptive snowstorms across central and eastern Canada. The season began with a trio of powerful back-to-back storms in February, which brought fierce winds and buried much of the region under heavy snow.
Months later, in November, another intense system brought an early taste of winter to many of the same areas. Though separated by time, these storms shared a common signature: rapidly deepening lows tracking along a sharp temperature divide and tapping into abundant moisture. From Ontario to Labrador, communities endured repeated bouts of heavy snow, strong winds, and widespread travel disruptions.
Round one of intense snowstorms: A Colorado Low to Southern Ontario then Atlantic Canada
On February 8, heavy snow began falling in parts of southern Ontario as a Colorado Low passed to the south of the Great Lakes. The storm brought heavy snow across parts of southwestern Ontario and the Golden Horseshoe area, with 13 cm falling in downtown Toronto and 15 cm at Pearson International Airport. Guelph picked up 15 cm, while Goderich topped the region with 18 cm.
As the storm moved over the Atlantic, it rapidly intensified to the south of the Maritimes before pushing into eastern Newfoundland late on February 9. The storm brought blizzard conditions to the Avalon Peninsula into the 10th. St. John's International Airport recorded 41.4 cm of snow, while southeastern Newfoundland received over 20-40 cm. Winds gusted to 143 km/h at Cape Pine, and 126 km/h at Cape Race. On the 10th, numerous businesses and schools were closed, and travel ground to a halt as flights and ferries were cancelled.
Round two of the storms: a Texas Low to Ontario and Quebec then Atlantic Canada
On February 12, a Texas Low moved into the northeastern United States and spread heavy snow into southern Ontario and Quebec. By the end of the storm, 26 cm had fallen in Toronto, 31 cm in Ottawa, and 34 cm in Montréal – with even higher totals in the Laurentian Mountains of southern Quebec, including 45 cm in the ski town of Saint-Sauveur.
In Toronto, the storm caused bigger problems the second time around, prompting officials to enforce a snow route parking ban. On February 13, schools closed and postal service shut down. Travel was significantly hampered across Ontario and Quebec, with reduced visibility and messy roads contributing to numerous collisions. Air travellers also suffered setbacks, as airports across the region saw widespread delays and cancellations.
The storm strengthened as it moved into Atlantic Canada on February 14, bringing a messy mix of precipitation and very strong winds. Cape Breton's Les Suêtes winds gusted to 209 km/h, while Wreckhouse in Newfoundland recorded a 167 km/h gust. Heavy snow and blowing snow occurred from northern New Brunswick to parts of Newfoundland and Labrador, before the storm moved offshore late on the 14th.
Round three: Third and strongest storm to Ontario, Quebec then Atlantic Canada
Just as crews were making progress cleaning up from the previous storm, the third and strongest storm of the series swept into southern Ontario and Quebec on February 15. Heavy snow and strong winds blasted the densely populated highway 401 corridor and into the St. Lawrence Valley in Quebec. Pearson International Airport in Toronto measured 25 cm, Ottawa 37 cm, and Montréal Airport 40 cm. Mirabel, in Quebec, topped the list with 53 cm, but winds of 60-90 km/h created the worst impacts across southern Quebec, producing rare blizzard conditions from Montréal to the Gaspé Peninsula.
Impacts across Ontario and Quebec were significant, with travel severely affected across the region. Roads closed, with numerous collisions and vehicles stranded. Train trips were cancelled and hundreds of flights were grounded. In Montréal, sidewalks disappeared under towering snowbanks, prompting the city to remove snowbanks completely. Garbage, recycling, and compost pickup was suspended for the week. By February 17, Montréal had its snowiest 4-day period since records began in 1941, with 74 cm of snow. Pearson International Airport in Toronto saw its fourth-deepest snowpack on record, with 50 cm on the ground.
Like the previous two before it, the storm intensified as it moved into Atlantic Canada. Northern New Brunswick received another 30-45 cm of snow, including 56 cm at Bas-Caraquet. Elsewhere across the Maritimes, the storm delivered a messy mix of precipitation and more high winds.
With each event adding to the next, the snow in parts of Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick had piled very high by the time the third storm had passed.
Here comes winter (again): the early November storm
After the series of February storms, many in eastern Canada were hoping for a gentler start to the next snow season. The weather had other plans.
The first major snowfall of the fall season came early for parts of Ontario and Quebec as a slow-moving low-pressure system tracked through the northeastern United States. On November 9, snow spread across southern and eastern Ontario, bringing 16 cm to Hamilton, 11.7 cm to Ottawa, and 9.8 cm to both Toronto's Pearson Airport and Trenton. Ottawa's total set a new daily record, breaking one from 1967, while Toronto saw its earliest snowfall greater than 5 cm since 1966. The snow created hazardous driving conditions across the region, leading to hundreds of collisions from the Greater Toronto Area through eastern Ontario.
Strong northwest winds behind the system also produced heavy lake-effect snow over parts of southern Ontario, with 17 cm falling at London Airport and as much as 58 cm reported by an observer in Glencoe.
Meanwhile, on November 10, a burst of heavy snow swept through southern and central Quebec, dropping 10 to 25 cm in many areas, including up to 20 cm in downtown Montréal. The heavy, wet snow knocked out power to nearly 400,000 customers, mostly in the Montréal area, and forced the closure of numerous schools.
From February's record-setting storms to November's early snowfall, 2025 was a memorable year for winter weather in central and eastern Canada. The season's powerful systems left behind deep snow, widespread disruptions, and lasting impressions across the region.
7. Storm havoc sweeps the Prairies
Severe thunderstorms lashed out on all three of the Prairie Provinces on August 20, bringing large hail, damaging winds, flooding rains, and a tornado. One of the storms carved a swath of destruction over several hundred kilometres of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The action began in the mid-afternoon when a thunderstorm formed in the Rocky Mountain foothills of southern Alberta. It quickly intensified and accelerated eastward, reaching speeds of more than 90 km/h. Over the next several hours, the storm flattened crops and grasslands in its path – the type of devastating storm local farmers call “the Great White Combine.”
The storm hit peak intensity as it passed just north of Brooks, Alberta. Large hail, driven by destructive winds, caused widespread damage. It ripped siding from homes, shattered windows, and destroyed roofs. Vehicles left outside were severely dented, and residents said the hail hitting their homes sounded like gunshots. The storm stripped leaves from trees and cut cornfields down to stubs, creating scenes that resembled the middle of winter. Just northwest of Brooks, the winds crumpled several large transmission towers and brought down powerlines across the Trans-Canada Highway. Several multi-vehicle collisions occurred in the area, forcing a temporary closure of the road.
Investigators from the Northern Tornadoes Project revealed wind gusts near Brooks likely reached as high as 165 km/h. The wind flipped irrigation equipment and was even strong enough to spin one resident's pickup truck around while parked.
As the storm tracked east into southern Saskatchewan, it dropped hail up to the size of tennis balls before finally dissipating later in the evening. In the days that followed, satellites captured images of the storm's swath that was easily visible from space.
As the evening rolled around, another cluster of severe thunderstorms struck farther north in Saskatchewan. Hail up to the size of baseballs fell near Langham, just northwest of Saskatoon, with wind gusts as high as 155 km/h as the storms tracked north of the city. A weak tornado touched down a little further to the east near Buffer Lake. The storms significantly damaged homes, grain bins, trees, and outbuildings, and sadly killed several farm animals.
Then, it was Manitoba's turn. In the late evening and overnight hours, a cluster of slow-moving thunderstorms brought torrential rains and intense lightning to southern areas of the province. One community on the western edge of Winnipeg received 138 millimetres of rain. West and south of the city, rainfall totals topped 119 millimetres at Fannystelle, 115 millimetres at Oakville, and 100 millimetres at Portage la Prairie. In these areas, the rains were more disruptive than beneficial for most crops, as fields were flooded not long before harvest.
August 20 will be remembered as one of the more impactful days of severe summer weather across the Prairie provinces in recent years.
8. Arctic Ocean storm surge floods Tuktoyaktuk
When most people think of storm surge, the Arctic isn't the first place that comes to mind. But for the coastal community of Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, these events have been happening more often in recent years.
In late August, an unusually strong low-pressure system developed in the southern Beaufort Sea. As it moved east, it brought strong winds and heavy precipitation to several communities across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region and Kitikmeot.
By August 30, the storm reached its peak intensity. Powerful west-northwesterly winds blew off the ocean and into Tuktoyaktuk. Residents described hearing a haunting “roar” as winds of 70 km/h or more battered the community for at least six straight hours. Around noon, one gust reached 102 km/h.
The relentless winds drove a surge of cold, grey ocean water into the hamlet. Waves crashed against the coast, eroding shorelines and filling the air with sea spray. Just before 2 p.m., water levels reached a record 2.62 metres, the highest ever recorded in Tuktoyaktuk. Two homes were badly damaged, and 14 others were surrounded by floodwaters. Residents lost fishing shacks, smokehouses and other belongings to the rushing waters. The storm also caused power outages and damaged roads, making access difficult for a time.
When the storm finally passed, residents faced a major cleanup. Floodwaters had pushed driftwood and other debris into large piles around town. Water and sewage pipes needed to be cleared, and roads had to be repaired.
A recently completed shoreline protection project helped make the community more resilient to coastal flooding. Without it, the damage could have been far worse.
This surge event is another sign of a changing Arctic, where powerful storms and rising seas are creating new challenges for coastal communities like Tuktoyaktuk.
9. Powerful November storm overshadows hurricanes season in Canada
It may have been hurricane season in Atlantic Canada, but the strongest storm of the year wasn't tropical in origin. On November 4–5, a powerful nor'easter-type system in Newfoundland brought the greatest impacts of the entire season.
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, was near normal overall. Most hurricanes stayed far offshore, making it a relatively quiet year for eastern areas of Canada and the United States.
Only three named storms brought minor impacts to Atlantic Canada. In July, the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal delivered a surge of moisture that fueled heavy rain across parts of Nova Scotia. In August, Hurricane Erin generated dangerous surf along the Nova Scotia coast as it passed well to the south. Then on November 1, post-tropical Storm Melissa brought a brief period of heavy rain while tracking just south of Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula. But it was only a few days later that the most powerful storm of the season would arrive.
On November 3, a low-pressure system formed off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and moved northeast toward Atlantic Canada. It rapidly intensified as it passed south of Nova Scotia, with its central pressure plunging an incredible 60 millibars in just 24 hours — more than double the rate required to meet the definition of a “weather bomb.”
The storm reached peak strength as it made landfall in southeastern Newfoundland late on November 4. At Marticot Island, the minimum pressure dropped to 944.7 millibars, setting a new November record for all of Newfoundland and Labrador. At St. John's International Airport, the pressure fell to 950.5 millibars, shattering the previous record of 963.1 millibars set in 2019.
The system produced fierce winds, including a gust of 172 km/h recorded at Cape St. Mary's. Several other exposed coastal stations, including Trepassey, Cape Race, Cape Pine, and Sagona Island, recorded gusts above 150 km/h. At Sagona Island, sustained winds between 100 and 118 km/h, just below hurricane strength, blew for nine hours straight. Many other weather stations across eastern Newfoundland reported gusts above 100 km/h before going offline, likely due to power or communication outages.
The storm's impacts were widespread. Thousands across Newfoundland lost power as fierce winds and pounding surf battered the coast. Massive waves washed over roadways, destroying a key section of road in St. Vincent's that connected two parts of the community. In Trepassey, waves broke through the town's breakwater, forcing two families to evacuate. In St. Mary's, high winds fanned flames that destroyed a fish plant. Although precipitation was modest, heavy snowfall in western Newfoundland led to treacherous driving conditions.
This late-fall storm is a reminder that not all major weather events during hurricane season are tropical. In Atlantic Canada's storm-prone climate, non-tropical systems can rival — and sometimes exceed — the intensity and impact of hurricanes themselves.
10. Western Canada bakes in record late-summer heat
Western Canada's longest and hottest stretch of summer waited until the end of the season to arrive.
The heat wave peaked from late August through early September, when a strong and stubborn ridge of high pressure parked over the region, bringing hot, sunny, and dry conditions. Between August 22 and September 8, more than 200 daily high temperature records were broken across British Columbia and the Yukon.
In late August, Lytton, British Columbia lived up to its reputation as “Canada's hot spot,” reaching 40°C or higher for four straight days between the 24th and the 27th. It hit 40°C again on September 2, but that still wasn't the province's hottest September day. On September 3, Ashcroft, Canada's only true desert town, soared to 40.8°C, setting a new all-time September record for both British Columbia and Canada.
Many British Columbia communities ended up recording their warmest September ever, including Comox, Vancouver, Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon, Cranbrook, Williams Lake, Kamloops, Chetwynd, and Fort St. John.
Temperatures also climbed well above normal in the Yukon, especially during the first week of September. On the 4th, Carmacks reached 28.3°C, the highest September temperature ever recorded there.
The relentless heat and dry weather worsened drought conditions across much of western Canada. In the Thompson-Okanagan region, fish protection orders were issued as low river levels threatened salmon populations. Wildfire activity also increased, leading to long stretches of poor air quality across much of British Columbia. In Yukon, officials extended staff availability beyond the normal wildfire season to ensure a rapid response to any new fires.
Meanwhile, parts of the Prairies and northern Ontario experienced the opposite: unusually cool conditions. On September 4, daytime highs failed to rise out of the single digits in many southern Manitoba communities. On September 6 and 7, overnight lows dropped below freezing in parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, setting new daily record lows. The coldest readings came in Saskatchewan on September 6, when Coronach hit -3.6°C and Key Lake dropped to -4.5°C. The early frosts damaged some crops, especially in northwestern Saskatchewan.
As the season shifted from summer to fall, the stark contrast between hot and cold across Canada highlighted just how varied the country's weather can be. For many in the West, the record heat will be remembered as an intense finale to summer 2025 - one that tested both communities and the environment.