The March forecast for Alberta is out and we will be SOAKED
Alberta’s March forecast is in, and you’ll want to keep those rain boots handy because it’s shaping up to be a warmer and wetter-than-usual month.
According to Alysa Pederson, warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the above-normal temperatures that thawed Alberta’s prolonged cold snap late last week are expected to continue throughout the month.
Daytime highs in both Calgary and Edmonton are forecasted to remain above zero, with a high of 17Ā°C in Calgary to kick off March. For Edmonton, March 1 will bring a high of 4Ā°C, but temperatures are expected to remain relatively warm overall, especially to start the month.
“We’re looking at well above normal temperatures right into the first week of March for sure. For the rest of the month, it’s going to be quite warm,” she explained.
Pederson expects things will cool off slightly mid-month, but temperatures will likely stay above normal.
“It does kind of drop a little bit more mid-month, but I mean, dropping a bit is like -5Ā°C compared to what we’re at right now, which is 10Ā°C in Edmonton and 13Ā°C in Calgary.”
As for precipitation, it’s also expected to be above normal, notably in areas closer to the foothills, with a 60 to 70 per cent chance of higher-than-usual precipitation, including those famous spring snowfalls.
“January and February are actually our driest months of the year. Once we start getting into spring, it ramps up, and we get those snowfall events,” Pederson said.
“So March is a little bit wetter than February, then April is almost double, then May is almost double that, and then ramping right up into the month of June, being the wettest of the year. ”
So, keep those boots handy as we’re in for a mucky, slushy month ahead, but at least spring is finally on its way!