Prince George will enjoy a warmer-than-usual summer with about average rainfall, according to a long-range forecast from The Weather Network.
The norms for June hover around 20 C, rising to 22 C for July and August. Temperatures can vary by plus-or-minus four to five degrees either way but should be on the high side more often than not and with a few heat waves, meteorologist Michael Carter said this week.
"It might be just nice, summer-like weather," he said.
A big reason is a transition into a weak El Nino, associated with warm ocean water in the central Pacific, in the second half of 2018.
About 65 mm of rain typically falls in June, declining to 62 mm in July, then 51 mm in August.
"One thing that will be helping is the amount of precipitation we've already had," Carter said. "We're working from a good base and typically that is a sign that showers and thunderstorms will continue into the summer. They're so dependent on the amount of surface moisture that's available."
If there is something to worry about it's the potential for wildfires to the south where extreme heat is expected to dominate. They could be large enough to send smoke and haze well north.
"It's amazing the footprint that these smoke plumes have, they affect a really large area," he said. "So even if you're in an area that's getting normal precipitation, it can certainly affect your summer and the air quality issues can be a real problem for some folks."
Historically, the summer of 2006 is probably the closest to what the city can look forward to, he said.
