A cooler than average July in Central Alberta yielded to a warmer than average August. The one constant this summer was lots and lots of rain.
According to Environment Canada’s weather data, both July and August brought higher than average rainfalls to the Red Deer area — which will be no surprise to anyone who remembers the nearly nightly thunderstorms and hail.
Some 82 millimetres of precipitation fell in August, compared to the monthly normal of 70 mm. July was even damper, with 123.6 mm of rain, compared to the monthly average of 93.1 mm.
Environment Canada meteorologist Louis Kohanyi blames a “cold trough” of unstable air for causing the storms that became almost nightly phenomena in the Red Deer area.
The same trough caused below-average temperatures for July. The monthly average high was 21.9 Celsius, compared to the July normal of 22.3 C. Thermometers plunged to an overnight low of 4.3 C on July 2, which was unseasonably cool, compared to the July overnight average of 7.8 C, said Kohanyi.
But temperatures began rebounding early in August. Kohanyi said last month’s average high was 22.4 C, compared to the monthly normal high of 21.9. “It was a little warmer than usual” — but no day got as hot as 30 C.
According to Kohanyi, the warmest day was Aug. 21 at 29.9 C.
While global warming was on the minds of many area residents who experienced the seemingly endless string of storm systems, Kohanyi said it’s difficult to determine whether that had a bearing on this summer’s extreme weather. “I would say the atmosphere was unstable because of the cold tough.”
But the opposite is about to happen in early September — Kohanyi said a warm upper ridge should keep us toasty warm this week. Saturday’s high is expected to be 19 C, but Sunday’s should rise to 25 C. And “Monday to Thursday should bring sunny weather in the mid to high 20s,” he added.
As for what to expect this fall, Kohanyi said temperatures should be near normal through November, but precipitation is expected to be below normal.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com