Summer-like heat in Canada here to stay, expert says

Climatologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada David Phillips on the outlook of summer temperatures, as heat warnings are issued in the Prairies.

After weeks of snow, slush and unusually cold temperatures, much of the Prairies is bracing for a sudden blast of summer-like heat that climatologist David Phillips describes as “weather whiplash.”

The senior climatologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada told CTV News Channel on Tuesday that temperatures climbing into the mid- to high-30s C across parts of Western Canada mark a dramatic shift from the cold conditions that dominated much of May.

Sudden swing from snow to scorching heat

“Most of this month in May, we were talking about cold snow,” Phillips said. “There was more ice fishing than fly fishing on the Prairies.”

Now, cities including Medicine Hat, Alta., and Regina are forecast to reach temperatures as high as 36 C to 38 C, with Manitoba cities like Brandon and Winnipeg also expected to see extreme heat in the coming days.

The expert said some communities could experience warmer temperatures than they recorded during the peak of summer last year.

“Even nighttime temperatures of 20 C in Regina,” he said. “Typically, it would be 6 C.”

• READ MORE: Calgary weather: Temperatures in the low 30s for portions of southern Alberta this week

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued heat warnings for broad areas of the Prairies as residents adjust to the abrupt arrival of summer conditions.

Warm summer expected to continue

Phillips said early forecasts suggest the heat may not be temporary.

The expert added the warmer temperatures will likely come as a welcome for many “winter-weary Canadians,” after months of cold weather and a sluggish spring.

“This is showing a June, July and August, looking the same,” he said.

“Most of us will shed those parkas and get out the shirts and the muscle shirts and tank tops and get out on the outdoor patios,” Phillips said.

At the same time, he noted the cooler and wetter spring brought at least one benefit: a quieter start to wildfire season.

“We’ve had maybe five per cent of the fires burning this year compared to last year,” he said.

Global heat linked to broader warming trend

Phillips said Canada’s heat is part of a broader global pattern that includes extreme temperatures in Europe and India.

“We’re living in warmer times,” he said.

He pointed to a major heat dome over Western Europe that is pushing unusually hot African air northward, bringing temperatures in London into the mid-30s.

“It is sweltering for people who this is very much not what they’re used to,” Phillips said.

While Canadians have seen cooler conditions in recent months, Phillips said the latest heat wave reflects the same warming trends already affecting other parts of the world.

“So, it’s our time to enjoy the heat,” he said.