The August forecast for Alberta is out and it might be upsetting
Some areas of Alberta saw much more rain in July than others, and the forecast for August is hinting at a wetter end to summer in some spots.
After a July that saw some areas, like Calgary, receive more than 160 millimetres of rain and endure its third wettest July on record, some Albertans may be hoping for some serious sunshine and heat.
Daily Hive chatted with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) scientist Christy Climenhaga on how the forecast for August is shaping up across Alberta, and whether you should be carrying an umbrella or plenty of sunblock as we stroll through the last full month of summer.
Will the last full month of summer end with a sizzle or a chill?
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August is a bit all over the place when it comes to anticipated temperatures in Alberta, with a general warmer-than-normal trend in the forecast for the northern half of the province, Climenhaga said.
“Around the Edmonton area, there’s a slightly warmer note, and then towards southern Alberta, that’s where we’re not really seeing as much of a signal. It doesn’t mean it’s going to be colder or normal or warmer. It just means that we’re not really picking up anything definitive for southern Alberta, so it’s going to be a little bit of a waiting game for that region.”
While Calgary saw plenty of precipitation in July, Edmonton saw much drier conditions than usual, as did much of northern and east-central Alberta.
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August is shaping up to be a bit of a switch, with a slightly higher confidence of more of a wet note for parts of northern Alberta, including the Edmonton region. Southern Alberta, including Calgary, is still something of a question mark for how rainy the month may be.
“We’re still not seeing much of a signal there for precipitation,” Climenhaga said. “There is that caveat with a precipitation forecast, they are generally lower confidence, because you can get one or two big storms that roll through and dump a month’s worth of rain in a couple of days. So it’s something to keep in mind.”
If you were hoping to read that the August forecast is looking full of sunshine and limited rain spells for Calgary and southern Alberta, sorry to disappoint!
Alberta is still under the gun for severe thunderstorms throughout August as well, with a lot of the season left to go. That can also sometimes allow for certain areas to be walloped by plenty of rain during a downpour, while a nearby area only receives a small amount of rain, if any at all.
As for what Albertans should look forward to this August, Climenhaga says if a warmer-than-normal August does appear, it may be a welcome change to the weather that we’ve had around the province for the end of July.
Some dazzling temperatures are currently in the forecast in Edmonton and Calgary to wrap up the work week and the month of July, however, the August long weekend forecast in YYC and YEG aren’t looking too snazzy.