The July forecast for Alberta is out and here's what to brace for
Summer has kicked off in Alberta, and as we swing towards July, the forecast is starting to shape up for the month.
Daily Hive spoke to Matt Loney, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), about what Albertans should expect this July.
Fingers-crossed that the weather is nice for the Calgary Stampede and KDays in Edmonton! Here’s what to expect weather-wise in Alberta this July.
Alberta sunset/Shutterstock
Looking at the week-to-week outlooks out of Montreal, Loney says that for July, it’s looking to bring below-normal precipitation in northern sections of Alberta, including the Edmonton region, while near-normal precipitation amounts are in store for Calgary and the rest of southern Alberta.
As we stroll into the heart of thunderstorm season in Alberta, Loney added that in terms of the mode of precipitation that will get delivered, whether it’ll be like organised weather systems or just kind of spotty thunderstorms or even more organised bands of thunderstorms, is kind of hard to forecast at this point.
Temperatures are also shaping up to be normal to above-normal across the province, so be sure to stock up on your sunscreen.
How does the early forecast look for the Calgary Stampede?
Jeff Whyte/Shutterstock
With the Calgary Stampede bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors to Alberta, Loney says the forecast for early July and the first weekend of Stampede is shaping up to be dry and warm.
As we move through July, models are hinting that come the second week and into mid-month, a wetter signal for southern Alberta sprouts up and temperatures in the near-normal range, which is around 24°C for Calgary.
When it comes to what Albertans should expect for July overall, Loney noted a wildfire hazard exists for extreme northern Alberta due to a lack of rain for much of the month, but elsewhere in the province, the wildfire hazard should be tempered thanks to better chances of rain.
“It’s kind of a mixed bag I suppose. I wouldn’t be cancelling any camping plans, but just be aware that precipitation totals in the middle portion of the month for southern Alberta could trend higher, anywhere from Red Deer south.”