September will be warmer than normal in Saskatchewan, climatologist says

It looks like this year’s summer break will end on a hot note.

The forecast for Regina predicts temperatures will hover around 30 C for most of the week and there’s not a drop of rain in sight.

David Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, told the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Monday he expects September to be warmer than normal in Saskatchewan.

“Just because we’re coming to the … approach of school starting and Labour Day, (that) doesn’t mean there’s an end to those 30-degree temperatures,” Phillips said.

There were heat warnings in place in the La Loche area Monday morning, with daytime highs near 30 C combined with overnight lows near 14 C.

Phillips said September is usually around 6 C cooler than August.

“Frost will occur in September and the first snow won’t come until October likely,” he added. “It isn’t going to be a rush. It’s not going to go from sweat to slush.”

Much of the province was blanketed by special air quality statements due to wildfire smoke Monday morning.

“(Tuesday) night, some southerly winds will kick that Saskatchewan smoke or other smoke out of the way,” Phillips said.

Regina and Saskatoon were included in the special air quality statements.

More information can be found on the Environment and Climate Change Canada website.

A ‘special’ summer

Phillips said this summer was “special” for people living in Regina because it began early and temperatures were 30 C or above for 22 days.

“I think May had the biggest departure from normal. I mean, May was a summer month and June was the warmest of the summer months and they all had — except for May — at least six days above 30,” he added.

Phillips estimated there were nine days with temperatures of 30 C or higher in August.

According to Phillips, Saskatchewan ended up with 75 per cent of the moisture it normally gets during the summer. Phillips added that’s not the worst drought he’s seen.

A recent storm also caught Phillips’ attention.

“My head is still shaking about the fact that Hurricane Hilary — or the remnants of it — brought rain into Saskatchewan,” he said. “I thought the world had stopped rotating … The DNA on those raindrops said … it was tropical.”

While Regina was largely spared, that storm brought around 40 to 50 millimetres of rain to some areas of the province.

Phillips added he’s heard of hurricane-force winds in Saskatchewan, but never any rain from a tropical storm.