As temperatures reach double digits in Lethbridge, the warm weather is welcome for many.
The El Niño-influenced temperatures sweeping through the province is anticipated to stick around through the rest of winter and spring, resulting in warmer-than-normal temperatures.
However, that doesn’t mean we won’t see dips into the negatives and cold snaps, and mid-January when we dropped down to -30 C is a good example of that.
In the past month, Lethbridge saw an average high of -3.7 C, but also saw jumps of nearly 15 C degrees on Jan. 30.
Karen Barby, manager of Green Haven Garden Centre, says this weather comes with its ups and downs.
Positives include the increased foot traffic coming into the store during the warmer days and the costs associated with keeping the greenhouse warm during the winter.
“The sun does do a lot of work,” said Barby. “In the daytime our heaters don’t kick in at all, so it is a nice environment that way. It’s kind of a benefit for us but we don’t want this extreme warmth to last for an extreme amount of time.”
Drought conditions in the province could potentially impose water restrictions as the province looks at its below average snowpack, record low river levels and multiple reservoirs that are well below capacity.
While Barby is looking at options that could conserve their water usage in the spring and summer, she remains optimistic.
“There’s always hope that we can get a good rain and a few really good snowfalls,” said Barby.
With precipitation expected this weekend in Lethbridge, paired with some milder temperatures, it’s not only a benefit to the watershed but also the Lethbridge Police Service’s annual Polar Plunge fundraiser for Special Olympics.
“There’s still ice on the lake, so we’ll be cutting a hole in the ice to jump through into the cold water,” said Cst. Braylin Hyggen.
In conjunction with the Law Enforcement Torch Run, LPS is looking to raise $15,000 by collecting pledges from friends, family and colleagues at the cold plunge.
Proceeds raised go towards providing year-round sport training for Alberta athletes.
Hyggen says his team, the “Shivers,” take the jump into Henderson Lake on Sunday.
He hopes that the bump in temperatures will encourage others to sign up and support the cause on the day of the event.
“Come down, have fun,” shared Hyggen. “It’s going to be a fun event and again this year is going to be some great weather, so no reason to hide in your house and stay out of the cold.”