Alberta summer forecast: warm and drier than normal
Environment Canada predicts 40-70% chance of above-normal temperatures across the province this summer, with no extreme heat dome expected.
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Alberta is set for a warmer-than-normal summer with no extreme heat dome in sight, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Jennifer Kowal, an operational meteorologist at ECCC, said the seasonal forecast for June, July, and August shows temperatures warming across the board, with southern portions of the province warming a bit more than the north. The forecast signals a 40 to 70 per cent chance of being warmer than normal for the entire province.
Neighbouring British Columbia and the Prairie provinces are also looking at warmer-than-normal temperatures.
Precipitation is expected to be slightly drier than normal, but nothing extreme. Models signal an average summer for afternoon thunderstorms.
"There's no particularly stronger signal anywhere, apart from the fact that the south tends to be warmer than the north, regardless," Kowal said. "So, yeah, it's basically just warmer and drier across the board."
For Albertans, safety remains two-fold as summer approaches. ECCC emphasized the importance of having access to sunscreen, shade, cold water, and staying aware of forecasts during heat events.
Equally critical: awareness of wildfire risk. Warm, dry conditions increase the danger of human-caused wildfires in the backcountry and at home.
"Be extra vigilant about basically anything that you might do in your home, as well as in the backcountry, that could start an unintentional human-caused wildfire," Kowal said. "When we're talking about warm and dry, just be extremely aware of the risks that you can pose to yourself between the heat and the fires. Stay smart out there."