The province consists of three main geographical regions:
The thinly populated Canadian Shield in the northwestern and central portions, which comprises over half the land area of Ontario. Although this area mostly does not support agriculture, it is rich in minerals and in part covered by the Central and Midwestern Canadian Shield forests, studded with lakes and rivers. Northern Ontario is subdivided into two sub-regions: Northwestern Ontario and Northeastern Ontario. The virtually unpopulated Hudson Bay Lowlands in the extreme north and northeast, mainly swampy and sparsely forested. Southern Ontario which is further sub-divided into four regions; Central Ontario (although not actually the province's geographic centre), Eastern Ontario, Golden Horseshoe and Southwestern Ontario (parts of which were formerly referred to as Western Ontario).Despite the absence of any mountainous terrain in the province, there are large areas of uplands, particularly within the Canadian Shield which traverses the province from northwest to southeast and also above the Niagara Escarpment which crosses the south. The highest point is Ishpatina Ridge at 693 metres (2,274 ft) above sea level located in Temagami, Northeastern Ontario. In the south, elevations of over 500 m (1,640.42 ft) are surpassed near Collingwood, above the Blue Mountains in the Dundalk Highlands and in hilltops near the Madawaska River in Renfrew County.
The Carolinian forest zone covers most of the southwestern region of the province. The temperate and fertile Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Valley in the south is part of the Eastern Great Lakes lowland forests ecoregion where the forest has now been largely replaced by agriculture, industrial and urban development. A well-known geographic feature is Niagara Falls, part of the Niagara Escarpment. The Saint Lawrence Seaway allows navigation to and from the Atlantic Ocean as far inland as Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario. Northern Ontario occupies roughly 87% of the surface area of the province; conversely Southern Ontario contains 94% of the population.
Point Pelee is a peninsula of Lake Erie in southwestern Ontario (near Windsor and Detroit, Michigan) that is the southernmost extent of Canada's mainland. Pelee Island and Middle Island in Lake Erie extend slightly farther. All are south of 42°N – slightly farther south than the northern border of California.
Climate Summer at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Lake Ontario. The Niagara Escarpment on the Bruce Peninsula.The climate of Ontario varies largely from season to season and from one location to another. The climate of Ontario is affected by 3 air sources: cold, dry and polar air from the north (dominant factor during the winter months); Pacific polar air passing over the western prairies and warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The effects of these major air masses on temperature and precipitation depend mainly on latitude, proximity to major bodies of water and to a small extent, terrain relief. In general, most of Ontario's climate is classified as humid continental. Ontario has three main climatic regions.
The surrounding Great Lakes greatly influence the climate of southern Ontario. During the fall and winter months, heat stored from the lakes is released, moderating the climate near the shores of the lakes. This makes some parts of southern Ontario have milder winters than mid-continental areas at lower latitudes. Parts of Southwestern Ontario have a moderate humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa), similar to that of the inland Mid-Atlantic states and the Great Lakes portion of the Midwestern United States. The region has warm, humid summers and cold winters. Annual precipitation ranges from 750–1,000 mm (30–39 in) and is well distributed throughout the year. Most of this region lies in the lee of the Great Lakes, making for abundant snow in some areas. In December 2010, the snowbelt set a new record when it was hit by more than a metre of snow within 48 hours. Central and Eastern Ontario have a moderate humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb). This region has warm and sometimes hot summers with colder, longer winters, ample snowfall and annual precipitation similar to the rest of Southern Ontario. Precipitation in Central and Eastern Ontario varies dramatically, with the driest areas in the northwest and the wettest areas in the southeast.
The climate can vary across the province. In the northeastern parts of Ontario, extending far as south as Kirkland Lake, the cold Hudson Bay depresses summer temperatures, making it cooler than other locations in Canada or Ontario at similar latitudes. Along the shorelines of Lake Superior and Lake Huron, winter temperatures are moderated, although on the eastern shores of Lake Superior and Lake Huron, frequent heavy lake-effect snow squalls increase seasonal snowfall totals upwards of 3 m (9.8 ft) in some places. Along the northern shorelines of Lake of Superior, the lake has a cooling effect on the flow of warm summer air, creating cooler summers than inland areas. The northernmost parts of Ontario — primarily north of 50°N — have a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) with long, severely cold winters and short, cool to warm summers with dramatic temperature changes possible in all seasons. With no major mountain ranges blocking sinking Arctic air masses, temperatures of −40 °C (−40 °F) are not uncommon; snowfall remains on the ground for sometimes over half the year. Snowfall accumulation can be high in some areas. Precipitation is generally less than 70 cm (28 in) and is concentrated in the summer months in the form of summer showers or thunderstorms.
Severe thunderstorms peak in summer. London, situated in Southern (Southwestern) Ontario, has the most lightning strikes per year in Canada, averaging 34 days of thunderstorm activity per year. In a typical year, Ontario averages 11 confirmed tornado touchdowns, where more are reported in the Windsor-Essex - Chatham Kent area, though many are seldom destructive (the majority between F0 to F2 on the Fujita scale) and only few are stronger and very destructive. Ontario witnessed 29 tornadoes in 2009 which tied its record for the most tornadoes in one year set in 2006.Tropical depression remnants occasionally bring heavy rains and winds in the south, but are rarely deadly. A notable exception was Hurricane Hazel which struck Southern Ontario, in October 1954.
Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Ontario City July (°C) July (°F) January (°C) January (°F) Windsor 28/17 82/63 -1/-8 30/17 Niagara Falls 27/17 81/63 -1/-8 30/18 Toronto 26/18 80/64 −1/−7 30/19 Ottawa 27/20 80/68 −6/−15 21/5 Sudbury 25/13 77/56 −8/−25 17/-13 Thunder Bay 24/11 76/52 −9/−21 17/−6 Kenora 24/15 76/58 −13/−22 9/−8 Moosonee 22/9 72/47 −14/27 6/-17
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