These are the Alberta cities projected to have the most extreme heat in the future

As climate change continues to be felt across Canada, a new report details which areas in Alberta are set to be the hardest hit by extreme heat.

The report from April 2022 by the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation in partnership with the University of Waterloo, titled “Irreversible Extreme Heat: Protecting Canadians and Communities from a Lethal Future,” looks at what Canadians can do right now to reduce the risks of extreme heat in the future.

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Part of the report looks at extreme heat projections for Canadian communities, and it’s identified several that are the most at-risk glimpsing into the future between 2051 and 2080.

“Extreme temperatures and heat waves already occur across Canada and will become more extreme in the future,” reads the report.

There are three main indicators of extreme heat:

• Very hot days over 30°C
• Warmest maximum temperature
• Average heat-wave length

Following these indicators, primary areas in Canada were identified as the most at-risk for extreme heat.

The largest community in Alberta to make the list was Lethbridge, followed by the smaller communities of Medicine Hat, Taber, Drumheller, and Brooks.

Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation

Here are the 16 large communities that are most at-risk:

These projections are subject to what the report calls “significant uncertainty,” and the reality is that future conditions will depend on what actions are taken to slow climate change and the extreme heat that could impact Alberta.

How to reduce the effects of extreme heat

The report highlights 35 different ways to reduce the effects of extreme heat, including individual actions you can take.

Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation

Preparing in advance – and helping your community and neighbours do the same – is where you can start. Also, taking advantage of natural ventilation, reducing indoor “waste” heat from your electronics and appliances, and using the WeatherCAN app to get notices of extreme heat can help.

To learn more, check out the full climate report online.

With files from Daily Hive’s Sarah Anderson