A tempestuous year for weather in the capital

It's been quite the year for weather in the capital—from heavy rain to flash flooding, three tornadoes and wildfire smoke. The only question now is what's to come?

Environment Canada has released its top 10 weather stories of the year on Wednesday.

Clinching the number one spot was the year for record wildfires, some of which cloaked the nation's capital in smoke.

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"We've seen these extremes in the past but they were separated by decades of normal weather," said senior climatologist with Environment Canada, David Phillips. "It just doesn't seem to be that way anymore."

But it's not just wildfires; a mild winter meant the Rideau Canal Skateway did not open at all for the first time in its 53-year history.

Add to that freezing rain in April, the hottest summer on record, and flash floods in August.

It all serves as a precursor of what's to come as Phillips predicts more extreme weather events in the future.

"It's human-caused climate change that is contributing to those extremes," said Phillips. "It's part of nature but it's also part of people too."

Even though it's gearing up to be a green Christmas in Ottawa, Phillips says there is hope this year for the Rideau Canal.

"I will bet a couple of loonies on the fact that there will be skating on the Rideau Canal this year," Phillips said.