The October forecast for Alberta looks like more treats than tricks | Daily Hive

rmalhotra651/Shutterstock

October in Alberta can mean cozy afternoons under the sun or scraping frost off your windshield before work (often in the same week), and this year, the forecast looks like we’ll get a bit of both, but with more treats than tricks.

According to Christy Climenhaga, a scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), October’s forecast is shaping up to be slightly warmer than usual overall, but with a few chilly spots along the way.

Butler Stock Photography/Shutterstock

September wrapped up warmer than normal, and that pattern looks to stick around for at least the first part of the month. The average highs for October in Alberta’s major cities are around 15 to 16°C, with lows near 4°C, but the province could end up just above that mark.

That doesn’t mean every day will feel mild, though. “It means we have a little bit more of that likelihood of above seasonal temperatures when the month is done,” Climenhaga noted.

You might also like:

Models are already hinting at a cooler spell around Oct. 5 or 6, so we expect some back-and-forth between warm periods and colder spells as October progresses.

As for precipitation, there’s a chance of showers popping up in northern Alberta by the end of the first week, but precipitation is always harder to forecast. After a dry September, some forecasts point to wetter conditions for the foothills and the far south, while others suggest things will stay on the dry side, Climenhaga said.

What is certain, however, is frost. Edmonton’s average first frost usually hits around Sept. 25, while Calgary’s window is a bit earlier, closer to Sept. 18. Overnight lows are already dipping into the mid-single digits in Alberta’s major cities, which means frost risk is creeping in for central regions.

So, with cooler nights and shorter days settling in, all you gardeners might want to start winding things down!

So, there you have it. Get out and enjoy all the fall and Halloween activities Alberta has to offer this October. Enjoy the gorgeous weather while we’ve got it; we’ll be booking a winter tire change before you know it!