Warmer than normal temperatures and below average precipitation. That is the fall weather outlook for southern Manitoba, released today by Environment Canada.

Senior Climatologist David Phillips says it will start with a Labour Day long weekend that should see temperatures creep above normal. In fact, he says that will be the flavour for September.

"I wouldn't write the final chapter on summer-like weather," suggests Phillips.

He notes this should allow farmers to get their crops off this year yet, unlike the harvest of 2016.

But Phillips says the problem with clear days this time of year is then the threat of frost becomes a real possibility. He notes historically the first frost hits southern Manitoba by September 22nd.

Meanwhile, Phillips admits this summer did not play out exactly as he had expected. Back in June, Phillips was calling for the months of June, July and August to be hotter than normal. But he says the average temperature for those three months ended up being about .2 or .3 degrees below normal. Phillips notes in an average summer we will see nine days where the mercury touches 30 degrees; this summer we had only seven of those days.

Having said that, Phillips says it was also a much drier summer than normal. He says Steinbach received 50-60% of normal precipitation.