The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a scale designed to help quantify the quality of the air in a certain region on a scale from 1 to 10. When the amount of air pollution is very high, the number is reported as 10+. It also includes a category that describes the health risk associated with the index reading (e.g. Low, Moderate, High, or Very High Health Risk). The AQHI is calculated based on the relative risks of a combination of common air pollutants that are known to harm human health, including ground-level ozone, particulate matter, and nitrogen dioxide. The AQHI formulation captures only the short term or acute health risk (exposure of hour or days at a maximum). The formulation of the AQHI may change over time to reflect new understanding associated with air pollution health effects. The AQHI is calculated from data observed in real time, without being verified (quality control).

The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a scale designed to help quantify the quality of the air in a certain region on a scale from 1 to 10. When the amount of air pollution is very high, the number is reported as 10+. It also includes a category that describes the health risk associated with the index reading (e.g. Low, Moderate, High, or Very High Health Risk). The AQHI is calculated based on the relative risks of a combination of common air pollutants that are known to harm human health, including ground-level ozone, particulate matter, and nitrogen dioxide. The AQHI formulation captures only the short term or acute health risk (exposure of hour or days at a maximum). The formulation of the AQHI may change over time to reflect new understanding associated with air pollution health effects. The AQHI is calculated from data observed in real time, without being verified (quality control).

Current conditions and forecasts for selected Canadian cities. Raw XML data are used to generate each city page on the Environment Canada web site https://www.weather.gc.ca/.

Climate observations are derived from two sources of data. The first are Daily Climate Stations producing one or two observations per day of temperature, precipitation. The second are hourly stations that typically produce more weather elements e.g. wind or snow on ground.

A station is a site on a river or lake where water quantity (water level and flow) are collected and recorded.

Climate Normals and Averages are used to summarize or describe the average climatic conditions of a particular location. At the completion of each decade, Environment and Climate Change Canada updates its Climate Normals for as many locations and as many climatic characteristics as possible. The Climate Normals, Averages and Extremes offered here are based on Canadian climate stations with at least 15 years of data between 1981 to 2010.

The Regional Deterministic Precipitation Analysis (RDPA) produces a best estimate of precipitation amounts that occurred over a period of 6 hours. The estimate integrates data from in situ precipitation gauge measurements, weather radar, satellite imagery and numerical weather prediction models. Geographic coverage is North America (Canada, United States and Mexico). Data is available at a horizontal resolution of 10 km. The 6 hour analysis is produced 4 times a day and is valid at 00, 06, 12 and 18 UTC. A preliminary analysis is available approximately 1 hour after the end of the accumulation period and a final one is generated 7 hours later in order to assimilate more gauge data.

The Canadian Precipitation Analysis System (CaPA) produces a best estimate of 6 and 24 hour precipitation amounts. This objective estimate integrates data from in situ precipitation gauge measurements, radar QPEs and a trial field generated by a numerical weather prediction system. In order to produce the High Resolution Deterministic Precipitation Analysis (HRDPA) at a resolution of 2.5 km, CaPA is connected to the continental HRDPS for its trial field. CaPA-HRDPA produces four analyses of 6 hour amounts per day, valid at synoptic hours (00, 06, 12 and 18 UTC) and two 24 hour analysis valid at 06 and 12 UTC. A preliminary production is started 1 hour after valid time and a final one is launched 7 hours later. This translates into a production of 12 analyses per day.

The Canadian Precipitation Analysis System (CaPA) produces a best estimate of 6 and 24 hour precipitation amounts. This objective estimate integrates data from in situ precipitation gauge measurements, radar QPEs and a trial field generated by a numerical weather prediction system. In order to produce the High Resolution Deterministic Precipitation Analysis (HRDPA) at a resolution of 2.5 km, CaPA is connected to the continental HRDPS for its trial field. CaPA-HRDPA produces four analyses of 6 hour amounts per day, valid at synoptic hours (00, 06, 12 and 18 UTC) and two 24 hour analyses valid at 06 and 12 UTC. A preliminary production is started 1 hour after valid time and a final one is launched 7 hours later. This translates into a production of 12 analyses per day.

Hotspots represent active wildfires. Natural Resources Canada Canadian Wild Fire Information System identifies them by processing Infrared satellite images. This layer contains the hotspots that are selected to be used as input for the Regional Air Quality Deterministic Prediction System FireWork (RAQDPS-FW) to enable forecasting air quality while taking into account wildfire emissions. Geographical coverage is Canada and the United States. The products are presented as historical annual compilations which highlight long-term trends in cumulative effects on the environment.