Above-normal precipitation needed for Edmonton this May, ECCC says

After a mild April with little precipitation, Edmonton is looking to be warm and dry again this May, and boy, we could use the rainfall.

According to Alyssa Pederson, Alberta warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), May is forecast to be warm with above-average temperatures.

“May is kind of when we start our summer season, in the sense that precipitation numbers do start to go up. This May, though, so far, the forecast for the month looks to be giving us temperatures that are generally above normal, normal for us at this time of year.”

Pederson said the mean temperature for May, including highs and lows, is about 11°C.

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So, it’ll be warm, but it’s not looking great in terms of precipitation, either.

Typically, April gets around 28 mm of precipitation said Pederson, and so far this month, we’re sitting at around 6.6 mm, and we’ll need a lot of rain to get out of the dry zone.

“We’ll have to see some precipitation in May, potentially above normal, to really change that story,” said Pederson.

However, she noted that late May — and especially June — usually brings more precipitation to the region.

“May [is], kind of, when we start our summer season, in [the] sense of precipitation numbers do start to go up.”

“Typically, we have what we call a June monsoon for Alberta. June is when we get, you know, those big Alberta clippers. We call them cold lows that spin out and give a lot of precipitation.”

In the short term, ECCC expects some showers to move through Alberta this weekend, though whether the rain will reach Edmonton is still up in the air.

ECCC

“I mean, all precipitation helps at this time of year.”