LETHBRIDGE, AB – Forecasters hit the nail on the head when they predicted a hotter-than-normal summer for Canada’s western provinces, now it looks like warmer-than-normal conditions will continue as we head in autumn.
Fall officially arrives on September 22nd, however online forecaster AccuWeather is out with its Fall Outlook for Canada as we head into the dying days of summer.
The forecaster says the prairie provinces, especially the southern prairies can expect warmer-than-average temperatures, dry and at times very windy conditions, and below normal precipitation for the months of September, October, and November.
Meteorologist Brett Anderson says La Niña conditions are brewing which will have a big impact on our weather here on the prairies.
The La Niña phenomenon is the abnormal cooling of the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean near the equator, which can influence the strength and position of the jet stream across North America, Anderson explained. Its influence on the Pacific jet stream plays a crucial role in directing the course and impacts of storms.
An expected influx of storms in Canada’s northern regions may prevent the real cold and snow from dropping into the southern Prairies this fall. That, Anderson says will more than likely keep us on the warmer side of things.
“This type of storm track will also mean a windier and drier-than-normal pattern for much of the southern Prairies, which have been hit hard by drought this spring and summer,” Anderson said.
Over in B.C. where that province has been battling an intense wildfire season, a stormier fall with plenty of rain expected along coastal sections is just what people there need to finally get the situation under control.
Lethbridge is coming off one the warmest and driest summers, June through August, on record. The city has recorded 39 days with the temperature at or above 30 degrees celsius since June 1st and very little rainfall, until recently.
