Warmer and drier than normal summer forecast for Alberta

With the first heat wave of the season now settled upon the region, central Albertans can expect to see above average temperatures and a little less moisture than normal over the next few months.

That according to Kyle Fougere, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, who says the current ridge of high pressure resulting in a heat warning for much of the province, could be a sign of things to come during the summer.

“It is pretty common to see this time of year when we do have this ridge of high pressure set up for several days,” says Fougere. “That heat is able to build day after day and so we can get temperatures up into the 30s, especially here in early June. We’re likely not to set records but we could be up in the top five for the warmest June 2 and 3 that we have on record for the Red Deer area.”

“But for the summer period — June, July, August — we are forecasting that it’s going to be a hotter than normal summer,” he continues. “And with precipitation, we’re expecting to be a bit drier than normal for the summer period. But there will still be periods where we have low pressure systems move through very slowly that will bring precipitation and cooler weather.”