Environment Canada has issued Heat Warnings for much of Saskatchewan on Monday morning.
Included in the warning are Saskatoon, Prince Albert, the Battlefords, Waskesiu and La Romge, along with the Melfort area. Temperatures are expected to soar into the 30s with overnight lows in the high teens or even low 20s in some cases.
Regina and Moose Jaw are not quite in the warning criteria as of yet, however temperatures in the mid 30s are still expected this week.
Environment Canada meteorologist Terri Lang said it will be so hot that some communities could break records.
“We may see some records broken in some of the stations that have shorter periods of record, but we are not expecting those low to mid 40 temperatures in Saskatchewan,” explained Lang.
She said what’s notable about this particular heatwave in Saskatchewan is how long it will last.
“We can’t really see an end to it. It looks like it’s just going to become less hot as opposed to having an abrupt end to it,” she noted.
Lang added that these are days when it’s important for people to be mindful of the time children, pets and others are spending outdoors during these hot days.
According to Environment Canada, heat warnings are generally issued when, “very high temperatures or humidity conditions are expected to pose an elevated risk of heat illnesses, such as heat stroke or heat exhaustion.”
Meanwhile in B.C., an abnormally powerful ridge of high pressure is creating a heat dome, and one of the most intense heat waves seen in the province’s history.
Saskatchewan communities Midale and Yellow Grass no longer the holders of the record for the hottest temperature recorded in Canada at 45.0 C. On Sunday Lytton, B.C reached 46.6 C ,breaking the record set in Saskatchewan on July 5, 1937.
Lang said what’s concerning about this is that the new record might not last long in terms of scorching temperatures in interior B.C.
“That record set yesterday is likely to be matched and beat today or Tuesday,” Lang discussed. “The heat is not over yet.”
Vancouver, normally around 20 C this time of year, is expected to climb to 35 C on Monday, Victoria is forecast to reach 37 C on Monday.
(With files from Moises Canales)
