It may be September, but it doesn’t exactly feel like it with a stretch of heat lying over the Prairies.
“The typical values you would see at this time of year, using a 30-year average … would be around daytime highs of 20 (C), and nighttime temperatures around plus-seven,” said Natalie Hasell, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
But highs are projected to reach the mid-30s with the humidex in Winnipeg this week due to a weather system reaching up from New Mexico and southern States, she said.
Not to fear, though.
“It’s not normal to have temperatures this warm, but it’s not unusual either,” she said. “If we look at Winnipeg’s records, for instance, today’s (Sept. 9) temperature record is 36.1 (C). That was actually hit in 1906.”
The expert explained the weather system is dry, which means the nights will be cooler and give people a chance to catch their breath — or wipe their sweat.
“We’re still talking about temperatures that are cool enough to not warrant a warning criteria event,” Hasell said. “Temperatures are not going to be warm enough at night to really make things very dangerous or very difficult for people.“
That being said, she still encourages caution.
“The susceptible or vulnerable populations remain the same. So it’s still a good idea to be a good neighbour. Check in on your friends and family colleagues and even just people paying attention to what’s happening around you.”
Hasell says the heat in Manitoba should wear off near the end of this week.