Photo 405051 / Christmas © Liquidphoto | Dreamstime.com

By Sheldon Spackman

- 38.7 Degrees Celsius December 20

Red Deer among central Alberta communities to unofficially break temperature records this week

Dec 21, 2022 | 12:10 PM

Several communities throughout central Alberta unofficially broke overnight low temperature records earlier this week.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, an Arctic airmass continues to bring extremely cold temperatures to the entire province.

On December 19, officials say temperatures plummeted during the evening hours largely, and set daily minimum temperature records in the process.

Red Deer was among the communities which saw a minimum daily temperature record broken on the morning of December 20.

Meteorologists say the Red Deer area set a new record low for December 20 of – 38.7 degrees Celsius, beating the previous record of – 36.8 degrees set in 1990. Records in this area have been kept since 1904.

HOUSING STARTS, NEW SCHOOL, AND MORE

2024 in Penhold: Preparing for growth

3h ago

A "ROBUST" YEAR FOR THE TOWN

Growing and grieving: 2024 in Innisfail

7h ago

LIKELY SHEPHERD'S FINAL TERM

2024 wrap up: Success grows in Lacombe County

Dec 25, 2024

Elsewhere, the Lacombe area set a new record low of – 38.6 degrees Celsius for December 20, beating the old record of – 38.5 degrees set in 1990. Records in this area have been kept since 1907.

The Rocky Mountain House area set a new record low for December 20 of – 41.8 degrees Celsius, dropping below the previous record of – 41.1 degrees set in 1921. Records in this area have been kept since 1915.

The Sundre area set a new record low of – 43.0 degrees Celsius for December 20, beating the old record of – 39.0 degrees set in 2008.

The Sundre area also set a new record low temperature for the evening of December 19, dipping to – 39.6 degrees Celsius and beating the old record of – 36.7 degrees set in 2008. Records in the Sundre area have been kept since 1993.

The Breton area set a new record low of – 39.6 degrees Celsius for December 20, beating the old record of – 37.0 degrees set in 1990. The Breton area also set a preliminary new record low temperature of – 38.1 degrees Celsius for December 21, beating the old record of – 36.0 degrees in 1990. Records in this area have been kept since 1939.

Finally, the Three Hills area set a new record low of – 37.1 degrees Celsius for December 20, beating the olds record of – 36.1 degrees set in 1921. Records in this area have been kept since 1921.