34 Sask. communities break daily temperature records in sweltering heat

The sweltering heat continues to rewrite daily temperature records in Saskatchewan.

According to Environment Canada, 34 communities across the province broke daily maximum temperature records Friday, a day after 26 communities established new record highs on Canada Day.

Saskatoon and Lucky Lake were among the hottest places in the country at 40 C.

Meteorologist Janelle Gergely expects that heat to stick around many places Saturday before seasonal temperatures return on Monday.

“Yesterday was a very warm day across the province,” she said.

Saskatoon smashed its previous record high of 33.4 C set in 1986.

Regina reached a new high of 35.3, surpassing the old record of 33.9 set in 1886.

Swift Current also rewrote a 19th-century record by reaching 37.8 C, hotter than the 36.7 C in 1895.

“That heat is going to continue for today (for) lots of areas in southern and central Saskatchewan,” Gergely added.

Communities along the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border are expected to be the hottest places in the province.

As the heat dome inches its way east across the Prairies, moisture is expected to return once again.

“We’re expecting some severe thunderstorms to develop,” she said. “Now that we have that heat moving away we’re having more of an unstable air mass, which definitely gives way to those thunderstorms.”

Severe thunderstorm watches and warnings were issued for the areas around Saskatoon, Martensville and Humboldt early Saturday afternoon, along with a warning in the Outlook area.

“The main threats from these thunderstorms will be hail to the size of loonies, wind gusts in excess of 90 km/h, and rainfall in excess of 50 mm,” an Environment Canada advisory read.

You can see the latest weather watches and warnings here.

With temperatures still reaching the high-20s and low 30s in many communities on Sunday, Monday will see seasonal temperatures return once again.

“That should be the story across much of the province,” Gergely said.