The Weather Journal: July 2026
Welcome to the first Weather Journal!
Each day, I am hoping to recap my daily weather observations. I will also track temperature and precipitation (sourced from Environment Canada). At the end of each month, I will post the journal entry as part of my blog. I’m really not sure if anyone will be interested in this, I think this is really just a way to keep a record for myself. This was something my mother used to do, and I have tried a few times to keep that going. Hopefully making it public will hold me a little more accountable.
July 1
Daily High: 26.3ºC Daily Low:13.3ºC Average Temperature: 19.8ºC. Yarn Colour: Rust Precipitation: 0.0mm
It was a hot day - from early morning to late in the evening. Thankfully there was a little but of a breeze for anyone that had to be out. A heat warning was issued in the afternoon. The forecast said there was a possibility of a few millimetres of rain, but it did not find us.
July 2
Daily High: 32.6ºC Daily Low: 19.5ºC Average Temperature: 26.1ºC Yarn Colour: Rose Precipitation: 0.0mm
Another hot day but with very little breeze. At 9:27am, it was 26ºC, but 35ºC. with humidity. By the afternoon, my car reported 38ºC! Yikes. The forecasted rain, once again, did not find us. Not even over night. I’m noticing lawns are turning yellowy brown. It is dry! I was surprised that there was no heat warning issued for today, but there is one for the next two days.
July 3
Daily High: 32.7ºC Daily Low: 17.9ºC Average Temperature: 25.3ºC Yarn Colour: Pink Precipitation: 0.0mm
Summer heat is definitely here. At least there was a lovely breeze in the evening, because it was a hot day with very little relief even in shaded areas. Even though today had a hotter daily high than yesterday (by 0.1ºC!), it had a cooler low temperature. I was surprised that the daily high and average temperature were where they are. I would have thought it was a lot warmer!
July 4
Daily High: 31.1ºC Daily Low: 19.1ºC Average Temperature: 25.1ºC Yarn Colour: Pink . Precipitation: 0.0mm
Another hot day, with little relief. The early morning and evening had high temperatures, but there was a little breeze that made it feel cooler. It was windy most of the day. Despite that in peak daylight, it wasn’t overly noticeable.
Non-weather related news: Today was the opening of the Fibre and Textile show at the Avon River Heritage Centre, of which I have three pieces included. It was a nice afternoon for the time I was able to stay and great to see so many folks come out to support the 11 participants. The show is part of Avon River Arts’ 2026 Exhibits.
July 5
Daily High: 23.3ºC Daily Low: 13.4ºC Average Temperature: 18.3ºC Yarn Colour: Orange . Precipitation: 0.0mm
Cooler heads and temperatures have prevailed! Overall, a much cooler day and the continued breeze made it even more comfortable. The morning was a little bit deceiving if you found yourself in the direct sun, but it was still much cooler than past days.
Every Sunday (when life and conditions allow), I have begun snapping a photo of Miners Marsh from the same spot to compare how it changes week to week. The Marsh is starting to dry out after more than a week without rain. It is still pretty green, but you can see how much the pond has dried.
July 6
Daily High: 25.4ºC Daily Low: 12.4ºC Average Temperature: 18.9ºC Yarn Colour: Orange . Precipitation: 0.0mm
While there wasn’t much of a breeze, today felt cooler once again. It was a lovely sunny day. Nevertheless, we could really use some rain! The forecast keeps teasing us with rainfall that never arrives. Here’s hoping we get some soon.
July 7
Daily High: 28.0ºC Daily Low: 11.2ºC Average Temperature: 19.6ºC Yarn Colour: Orange . Precipitation: 0.0mm
Today was surprisingly humid. It was definitely hotter than expected, and there was little to know wind or breeze. Otherwise, it was a beautiful sunny day.
July 8
Daily High: 26.2ºC Daily Low: 11.3ºC Average Temperature: 18.8ºC Yarn Colour: Orange . Precipitation: 0.3mm
Another beautiful sunny, summer day! It appears we has a little bit of rain, but it wasn’t noticeable on the ground.
Recognizing that forecasts - especially long range forecasts - are not set in stone, I’m noticing a pattern of beneficial amounts of rain a few days down the line. The amounts increase as the day nears, and then gets “revoked” the day before or day of. I can imagine this must be so frustrating for our farmers who had a devastating year last year, and are once again battling a hot, dry summer. The rain is desperately needed.
July 9
Daily High: 30.4ºC Daily Low: 14.0ºC Average Temperature: 22.2ºC Yarn Colour: Rust . Precipitation: 0.0mm
An unexpectedly hot day! I don’t know if I just missed the forecasted temperature, but I didn’t think it would hit the 30s. This makes me realize that maybe I need to pay attention to what the forecast for the day should be, to compare to the actual data.
Anyway, it was a hot and humid day in Kentville. No wind. Very stale. The need for rain is high. Everything is slowly dying and folks are starting to connect the current year with our experiences last year (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing… it’s just not what we want in terms of conditions).
July 10
Daily High: 23.8ºC Daily Low: 15.7ºC Average Temperature: 19.8ºC Yarn Colour: Rust . Precipitation: 4.6mm
It rained!!!! A total of 4.6mm fell this morning and although it wasn’t much, it was welcomed! Waking up to the smell of petrichor was magnificent!
The day overall was kind of muggy and overcast. It was cooler than yesterday, which was nice. But by mid-afternoon things were starting to look dry again. It doesn’t look like there’s any rain in the forecast over the next couple of days, but maybe a little more by mid-week next week?
July 11
Daily High: 25.3ºC Daily Low: 14.5ºC Average Temperature: 19.9ºC Yarn Colour: Rust Precipitation: 0.0mm
Today was a beautiful sunny day. Even though the forecast said a high of 25ºC (29ºC with humidity), it sure felt hotter. In the evening it looked like it could rain, but it didn’t. There was some light wind, as well in the evening which helped things feel a bit cooler.
July 12
Daily High: 25.9ºC Daily Low: 11.9ºC Average Temperature: 18.9ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 0.0mm
Today felt very much like a repeat of yesterday - including the forecast (high of 25ºC, 28ºC with humidity, and sunny with clouds). It was really hot if you were in the sun, but the shade offered a nice reprieve from the heat. There was a nice breeze in the evening, but a lot of mosquitoes.
Miners Marsh is extremely dry, even with the little rain we received on Friday. The difference from last week is astonishing. While the pond does usually lose most of its water throughout the summer, these extremes appear to be the new normal.
July 13
Daily High: 29.1ºC Daily Low: 11.4ºC Average Temperature: 20.3ºC Yarn Colour: Rust Precipitation: 0.0mm
It was a hot one today, but there was a lovely breeze! The kind of breeze that follows in your direction, which is the best kind on a day like today. The forecast suggested 27ºC, or 31ºC with the humidity factored in, so it was a wee bit hotter in reality. But despite the sunny with cloudy periods prediction, there weren’t many clouds!
Further down the Annapolis Valley, in the Bear River area, an out of control wildfire was reported in the early afternoon. This was the first wildfire reported in the Valley, that I am aware of, but was unsurprising given how dry everything is. Thankfully, a few hours later, the fire status was shifted to being held, which is promising. The conditions are certainly favourable for another summer like last year.
July 14
Daily High: 26.2ºC Daily Low: 15.2ºC Average Temperature: 20.7ºC Yarn Colour: Rust Precipitation: 5.4mm
It was so nice to wake up to signs of some rain overnight! There was up to 5mm forecast and not only did we receive that, it came down fast and furious a little after 7 and lasted about an hour. It was marvellous!
However, it made for a muggy day! It was cooler than forecasted (28ºC), but I’m not complaining. That rain was needed.
The evening had a refreshing breeze that helped to cut through that mugginess, and a spectacular sunset, unfortunately in part, due to wildfire smoke. (Sorry not sorry for the semi-blurry photo)
July 15
Daily High: 28.7ºC Daily Low: 18.3ºC Average Temperature: 23.5ºC Yarn Colour: Pink Precipitation: 0.0mm
Today started with a light drizzle in the morning and an incredible sunrise. The day was mostly sunny and warm. The forecasted high was 27ºC, feeling like 33, so not far off the reality once again.
As wildfires continue to burn across the country, there were a lot of reports about a “creepy looking sun.” While I didn’t notice this myself, it was clear it was the result of wildfire smoke. There are currently three wildfires in Nova Scotia, all classified as under control and all in the Annapolis Valley (two in Annapolis County, one in Kings County).
July 16
Daily High: 25.6ºC Daily Low: 12.8ºC Average Temperature: 19.2ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 1.6mm
Well, wildfire season is alive in the province. The latest fire restrictions map shows things are quite dry. The first major wildfire (on the Eastern Shore) has prompted evacuations, and we’re all hoping everyone is safe and that homes are spared. There is another wildfire in Annapolis County that is also noted as out of control, but much smaller than the other. The three fires I noted yesterday are - thankfully - all considered out.
Despite how drab that map looks, we did have some rain late afternoon and early evening. The recorded amount of rain was much less than it felt we had. Nevertheless, it prompted a few small power outages in the area. The rest of the day was sunny, with wind picking up late morning.
July 17
Daily High: 20.6ºC Daily Low: 11.6ºC Average Temperature: 16.1ºC Yarn Colour: Yellow Precipitation: 0.0mm
Never have I been so thrilled for a forecast to be right on the money. The predicted high for the day was 21ºC, or 22ºC with humidity. The actual high was 20.6ºC. The day was sunny, there was a lovely breeze, and those cooler temperatures were welcomed. Things are still really dry here (but folks are still mowing their burnt and brown lawns?). Hoping the weekend’s rainy forecast is as true as today’s was.
July 18
Daily High: 26.6ºC Daily Low: 10.6ºC Average Temperature: 18.6ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 4.6mm
Today started out cool, and quickly warmed up. It pretty much lined up with the forecast of sunny-cloudy and 25ºC. It remained a hot and stagnant day until about 8pm, when rain slowly started. I will be interested to see how this week’s rain has impacted the Marsh.
July 19
Daily High: 22.5ºC Daily Low: 15.6ºC Average Temperature: 19.0ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 16.4mm
Wow! What a day. Overnight, we received the same amount of rain we’d had so far in the month. The rain tapered off in the morning, and the afternoon was cloudy with some sunshine. It windy all day, as well. It was exactly the day the forecast suggested.
As usual on Sunday mornings, I snapped a photo of Minters Marsh. While still not at its best, it was certainly an improvement from previous weeks. It was nice to see some water in the pond.
July 20
Daily High: 22.3ºC Daily Low: 13.7ºC Average Temperature: 18.0ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 0.0mm
That wind seems to persist. I’m not complaining in terms of comfort, but from a wildfire spread context, yikes that could be dangerous if there were an out of control fire. Thankfully, the two fires in the province are either under control or being held. The forecast and actual daily high were the same, and it ended up being a lovely sunny day.
July 21
Daily High: 27.0ºC Daily Low: 12.1ºC Average Temperature: 19.6ºC Yarn Colour: Rust Precipitation: 0.0mm
Today was a little warmer than forecasted (26ºC), and sunnier than expected. But overall it was a nice day. The morning was quite cool, which was welcomed. Not really much to report beyond that. We are expecting quite a bit of rain tomorrow, and parts of the province have been warned about the possibility of flooding (no warnings for the Valley, from what I can see).
July 22
Daily High: 23.7ºC Daily Low: 17.8ºC Average Temperature: 20.8ºC Yarn Colour: Rust Precipitation: 13.9mm
RAIN!!!! It was an incredibly humid, and rainy day. For the most part, it felt like it was steady enough to be beneficial, which is needed. But, we only received half the amount we expected. The forecast suggested today’s outlook would be 23ºC, feeling like 29ºC with humidity, and 25-30mm of rain. It was still a good rain, but we could use more.
July 23
Daily High: 22.4ºC Daily Low: 11.7ºC Average Temperature: 17.0ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 2.2mm
A slightly cooler day than expected, but it was welcomed after yesterday’s high humidity. We had a little more rain, as well, and that wind from the last week or so continued. I wasn’t out an about much during the day, but the evening was lovely. Things felt very calm. Hopefully that’s not a sign of something ominous on the way…
July 24
Daily High: 26.4ºC Daily Low: 10.4ºC Average Temperature: 18.4ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 0.3mm
Today was exactly as expected, both temperature and weather-wise! It was a nice sunny summer day. Not as much humidity, so it felt okay to be out and about, even in the middle of the day. A nice breeze in the evening before it cooled off. We had a few drops of rain in the morning, but I didn’t notice that. I must have missed it!
July 25
Daily High: 27.7ºC Daily Low: 10.7ºC Average Temperature: 19.2ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 0.0mm
Another day of meeting the anticipated forecast, though it was quite humid, which made it feel a lot hotter than it was. The morning was sunny and cool-ish, as was the evening. The afternoon was straight sun, with a beautiful blue sky.
July 26
Daily High: 26.6ºC Daily Low: 9.4ºC Average Temperature: 18.0ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 0.0mm
Another sunny day! It was cooler in the morning, but it warmed up quickly. The forecast suggested a high of 25ºC, and sunny, so it was a little bit warmer than expected. The evening was cool with that refreshing breeze still present.
The Marsh appears to be retaining some of the rainwater from the past week, which is wonderful to see. You can spot signs of the water just above the tall grass. There is less water than last week, but yesterday in particular was quite hot, so it would make sense to see some of the rainwater evaporated.
There are also rumours that the pond is low because of a leak, but I’m skeptical of this. Every summer the pond loses some of its water (the degree of water loss depends on the level of drought that occurs). This is the first time I’ve heard there was a leak since there was a very obvious one a few years back. There are no signs of water loss anywhere around this pond, other than it being a fairly hot and dry month.
July 27
Daily High: 26.6ºC Daily Low: 9.6ºC Average Temperature: 18.1ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 0.3mm
It was an odd day. It was quite cool this morning (which was welcomed - no complaints here!). The afternoon felt A LOT hotter than expected, but it was only a little over a degree in the difference between forecast and actual. Humidity must have been carrying a lot of that.
This evening, the forecast said it was 22ºC, but 24ºC with humidity at 10pm. In reality it was cool, not the level of cool from this morning, but comfortably cool. I didn’t notice any breeze, so I can’t blame it on that. Anyway, as an added bonus, the sky was so beautiful marbled with clouds. Sometimes it really does pay to look up.
July 28
Daily High: 27.1ºC Daily Low: 14.5ºC Average Temperature: 20.8ºC Yarn Colour: Rust Precipitation: 0.0mm
Today was exactly as predicted - a high of 27ºC and mainly sunny. It was much warmer overnight than the last few, which brought up the daily average.
July 29
Daily High: 27.2ºC Daily Low: 13.6ºC Average Temperature: 20.4ºC Yarn Colour: Rust Precipitation: 0.2mm
Another day of the forecast being exactly what happened. It was a beautiful sunny day for the most part.
The morning was misty, which felt refreshing after such a warm night.
Overall, the day felt cooler. It was still quite warm at peak sunlight, but it seemed to cool off fairly quick in the early evening.
July 30
Daily High: 19.0ºC Daily Low: 16.7ºC Average Temperature: 17.8ºC Yarn Colour: Orange Precipitation: 27.3mm
HELLOOOOOOOO RAIN! What a glorious sight!
Today was cooler than forecasted, but the humidity more than made up for it. It was muggy all day, including the evening.
In the earlier hours of the day, there was a light drizzle. By mid-morning, there was rain - heavy at times - which ended just after noon. But it continued to rain off and on for the rest of the day.
My driveway didn’t look so happy at times, but the rain was welcomed! There’s a bit more on the way tomorrow, as well!
July 31
Daily High: 23.7ºC Daily Low: 17.2ºC Average Temperature: 20.5ºC Yarn Colour: Rust Precipitation: 17.3mm
Today’s forecast was cloudy with showers and a high of 23ºC (feeling like 29ºC). It had obviously rained overnight and was very humid in the morning. It rained off and on starting later in the morning and continuing into the evening. It remained muggy. At 3:00pm, a thunderstorm warning was announced. It was called off around 5:30, but I didn’t hear anything and I didn’t see anything on the lightning map. Not a bad way to end an otherwise dry month.
Month Summary
Average High: 26.1ºC Average Low: 13.8ºC Average Temperature: 20.0ºC Yarn Colour: Rust Precipitation: 94.4mm
July was quite a month. It started off dry, but eventually the rain found us. It seemed like we were going to have a repeat of last year’s drought, but towards the end of the month, things turned around a bit. There were a handful of wildfires in the area, but nothing out of hand. Overall, the month was filled with hot sunny days and a refreshing breeze in the evening.
*Note: All temperature and precipitation data comes from Environment Canada’s Kentville weather station.
