Environment Canada predicts a warmer and drier than normal planting and growing season.

"We see conditions warmer than normal, with normal or below normal precipitation," Environment Canada’s senior climatologist David Phillips said. These conditions will likely carry through until October, he said.

A cooler April and the quick melting of winter snow set the stage for a good start to the planting season in eastern Ontario, Phillips said. "Soil moisture is good."

It’s a contrast to last April, Phillips said, which started off warmer than average, but led to the wettest summer on record.

The heat started early this year. Phillips said thermometers were showing above-average temperatures as April headed into May.

"Normal for this time of year would be 13 C," he said, "but we’ll be seeing an incredible about-face; temperatures will be 10 degrees warmer than usual. We’re going from slush to sweat."

Hay growers were particularly hard-hit by all the rain last year but that won’t be an issue this year, he said. However, humidity and lower precipitation could lead to higher smog levels in some areas.

"What’s good for rural Ontario is not necessarily good for urban areas," he said.