The temperature on Wednesday hit a balmy 15.5 C making it the third warmest March 23 on record for Red Deer.
Sara Hoffman, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said 16.6 C, the highest temperature for that day, was set in 1993, and the second hottest was 15.6 C in 1968.
But she said warm days often occur in March.
“It’s not very unusual to see temperatures this high at some point in the month,” Hoffman said.
She said the average daytime high is 5 C, but it’s quite unusual to be at that temperature. Usually it’s either warmer or colder.
“Spring in Alberta means beautiful days like yesterday. But it also means accumulating snow, some gusty winds, cold days, hot days. So keep your snow brush in your vehicle and keep your winter tires on your vehicle until after Easter.”
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She said Alberta can get snow as late as the beginning of May. The May long weekend is always a roll of the dice.
“You don’t know if it will be 30 C or -10 C with snow.”
Snow is in the forecast for this weekend in the Red Deer area, but not as much as this past Sunday.
“I’m not expecting too much snow, certainly periods of snow, but nothing accumulating too much. It may even melt on contact, and will likely not reduce visibility too badly in the area.”
Wet, heavy snow is more of a concern in the fall when foliage is still on the trees, she said.
“This time of year, wet heavy snow is more of a nuisance. It’s doesn’t help the roads, that’s for sure. But it’s not the same kind of hazard that it is in the early fall.”
Hoffman said there should be above normal temperatures on the weekend, and again by the middle of next week.
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Friday’s forecast calls for a windchill of -16 C in the morning, a daytime high of 2 C, and a low of -6 C at night.
Saturday should be sunny with a high of 8 C and a low of -3 C. Sunday calls for a high of 7 C, and a 60 per cent chance of flurries at night with a low of -5 C.
Snow is in the forecast again for Monday, with a daytime high of 1 C. But the temperature should jump up to 12 C on Tuesday.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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