The Bow Valley has been experiencing unseasonably hot weather this summer.
The mercury was expected to soar to at least 30 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (Aug. 11-13) before an abrupt change to below average temperatures beginning on Friday (Aug. 14).
Environment Canada weather experts expected Banff to tie the record temperature of 30 C for Aug. 13, set on that day in 1920. The hottest Aug. 11 day was 31.1 C in 1971, while the warmest Aug. 12 day was 31.7 C in 1940.
“We’re awfully close to 30 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and that’s about eight degrees higher than seasonal values,” said Bill McMurtry, a meteorologist with Environment Canada.
“It’s been very warm. For Banff to have three consecutive days at or near 30 C, when it only gets two days of 30 degrees on average a year, that probably could be considered a heat wave for that area.”
McMurtry said there have been more days than usual this summer where the mercury has soared past 29 degrees.
He said the temperature soared to 31.7 C on July 9, but there were six other days in July when the temperature was 29 C or warmer.
McMurtry said the two warmest days so far this year were June 27 and 28, when temperatures reached 31.9 on both days. Banff broke the record June 28, with the previous record for that date of 30 C set in 1937.
“In a given year, Banff typically has two days of 30 degrees or higher, and so far this year there have been three,” he said. “And there’s potential over the coming days to gain one or two more.”
The hot weather comes to an abrupt end Friday, with daytime highs dipping to the mid-teens and thunderstorms rolling in.
“Since we’ve been dealing with warm, sunny conditions, and then with the abrupt temperature changes expected Friday and into the weekend, it’s going to feel more like fall than winter,” he said.
“We’re going from above normal temperatures to well below normal temperatures in a short period of time.”
The long-range forecast for September and October is for above average highs.
“As is the case for much of Western Canada for the fall period, we can expect to see the continuation of above normal temperatures over the long period,” said McMurtry.
The hottest day ever recorded in Banff was 34.4 C, set on July 28, 1934.
Banff’s weather records go back to 1893.
