Prairie people are often known for their hardy nature, but many Albertans will be relieved when a long stretch of cold, mid-winter weather gives way to what is forecast to be a wonderfully warm stretch in parts of the province later this week.
Most of Alberta remained under an extreme cold warning on Tuesday after numerous cold weather records were broken over the weekend.
At noon, Environment and Climate Change Canada said the temperature in Edmonton was -20 C but felt more like -32 with the wind chill. Wednesday is forecast to be less cold but things could really change on Thursday, when Alberta’s capital is expected to reach a high of 3 C.
David Phillips, a senior climatologist at ECCC, said all of February has been particularly cold in Edmonton.
“Frigid February has had no melting temperatures so far,” he told Global News on Tuesday. “Average temperature at the (Edmonton) International Airport is an incredible almost 12 degrees below normal.”
Phillips added that Edmonton’s number of days below -20 C this month is 15, when normally it would be five at this point in February. He added that the number of days below -30 C in Edmonton this month is at four, compared to what would normally just be one at this point in the month.
At noon on Tuesday, Calgarians were coping with -23 C weather, but that felt more like -31 with the wind chill, according to ECCC. The weather agency said Calgary could see a high of 5 C and by Sunday that could continue to warm to a high of up to 13 C.
Further south, Lethbridge was dealing with -24 C weather early Tuesday afternoon. ECCC said with the wind chill that would feel more like -32. Temperatures were forecast to be in the pluses in Lethbridge on Thursday as well, and on Sunday that city could see a high of up to 16 C.
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