Environment and Climate Change Canada’s meteorologists work around the clock to deliver high-quality and reliable weather forecasting services to Canadians. Canadians witness the impacts of the most severe weather events as they unfold, which sometimes result in economic devastation and the tragic loss of lives across the country. With each year, Canada sees the impacts of climate change on weather events, making many extreme weather events more likely.
Canada’s 10 most impactful weather stories for 2024 tells the tale of record-breaking heatwaves, destructive winds, and relentless rainfalls that prompt weather watches, warnings, and alerts. The stories illustrate how severe weather events evolve and how local responses can be safely navigated with informed decisions. The stories are selected and ranked based on severity, human and economic impact, the extent of the area affected, and the event’s longevity as a top news story.
The most impactful weather stories of 2024 are:
- From heatwave to wildfires: Jasper’s summer inferno
- Central Canada bears the brunt of the 2024 hurricane season
- Western Canada plunged into January deep freeze
- Atmospheric rivers deliver double blow to British Columbia
- Billion-dollar hailstones: Calgary’s costliest weather disaster
- Southern Ontario’s summer of floods
- Arctic communities face unusual heatwave
- Cape Breton’s winter wallop
- Summer split: Maritimes sizzle while Alberta shivers
- Wildfires and evacuations in western Labrador
Record-breaking temperatures were a top contributor to this year’s weather events. Extreme heat set the stage for devastating wildfires in both Western and Atlantic Canada, while severe cold snaps resulted in significant economic impacts for Alberta. Torrential rains inflicted costly flooding in some of Canada’s largest urban centres. Arctic communities endured a significant heatwave, while Montréal recorded all-time high precipitation records. From coast to coast to coast, the severe and unseasonal weather events of 2024 left a memorable mark on the lives of Canadians across the country.
Significant loss, damage, and displacement also characterized this year’s top weather events. Two wildfire events prompted full local evacuations, totaling the displacement of over 12,000 residents and 20,000 visitors. Jasper, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, was changed significantly when fire consumed approximately 16% of the area’s forest and 30% of its town. Combined damages for the four costliest weather events amounted to over $7 billion, with all ranking among the costliest weather events in Canadian history. Tragically, over 40 fatalities were also attributed to the impacts of the highlighted events.
Human-caused climate change is increasing the intensity of many severe weather events in Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada is committed to protecting the health, safety, and property of all Canadians by ensuring that everyone has timely and accurate access to weather watches, warnings, and alerts. Canadians are encouraged to monitor weather conditions closely by downloading the WeatherCAN application or visiting weather.gc.ca.