Red Deer blew past its June average for rainfall, according to both the City of Red Deer, and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The city averages 94 mm of precipitation during the month. But the nearby Lacombe weather station (the closest station used by Environment and Climate Change Canada) showed 148.8 mm had fallen as of Thursday morning.
“A lot of this weather has been convective which is often spotty or scattered, so it might not be fully representative of what everyone in Lacombe, or Red Deer got, but it should be close,” said Natalie Hasell, warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Meanwhile, data from rain gauges at three city facilities, for just the first 23 days of the month, showed 151 mm fell at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, 153.8 mm fell at the Water Treatment Plant, and 170.2 at Collicutt Centre.
Hasell said all it may take is one thunderstorm to push precipitation past the normal amount. Since 2000, Red Deer has experienced a few extra soggy Junes — 145 mm in 2005, 144.1 mm in 2007, and 144.8 in 2014.
Red Deer’s rainfall record for June was set in 1970 with 243.8 mm.
Related:
Red Deer has been drier than usual for months
The precipitation average for July is 94.4 mm, making it Red Deer’s wettest month, and Hasell said central Alberta could see above normal precipitation in July based on the information that is available.
“We have some kind of signal for above normal precipitation amounts for the month of July, but what that actually means is hard to say.”
She said for those places that have already received quite a lot of rain, more won’t make it easy. July is also an active month for tornadoes and lightning and tips for seasonal hazardous weather is available at canada.ca.
“There are many hazards that we face, sometimes in combination, in the summer months.”
Related:
Storm soaks Red Deer with 71 to 75 of mm of rain
Red Deer’s Canada Day forecast calls for a high of 23 C, with a 60 percent chance of showers, plus a risk of a thunderstorm in the afternoon. At night there’s a 60 per cent chance of showers.
Delores Coghill, Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society manager, said Canada Day fireworks, set for 11 p.m. at Bower Ponds, will only be cancelled if there is lightning, or severe rain.
“We’ve never had to cancel before because of the weather,” Coghill said.
Saturday will be cloudy with a high of 17 C, and there’s a 60 per cent chance of showers at night.
Sunday calls for showers during the day, and a high of 18 C.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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