It was a record-breaking scorcher of a day in Edmonton yesterday.
Environment Canada reported a high of 33 C at Edmonton City Centre Airport at 3 p.m. The previous record for Sept. 23 was set in 1950 with a high of 30 C. Average temperatures for this time of year are highs of 16 C and lows of 1 C.
Meteorologist Bill McMurtry said that while it isn’t unusual to see hot days in September, it’s quite rare to have such a consistent pattern of warm weather.
“It’s on pace to be the warmest September yet,” he said.
But global warming and El Nino aren’t to blame — or thank — for this extension of summer.
“We can’t tie it to long-term trends,” said McMurtry.
He said the summer-like weather is associated with an upper ridge of high pressure hovering over the province. This ridge typically hangs over Arizona and southern California, but jet streams have pushed it up through the Yukon.
“I love this weather, I love the heat and it’s going to be snowing in the next month,” said Lisa Workun, who was tanning and reading in Hawrelak Park yesterday. “I’m going to use every minute to enjoy it.”
McMurtry said yesterday was probably the warmest day we’ll have for the rest of the year. A cold front is expected to swoop in Friday and Saturday, bringing temperatures in the low teens for the weekend and a frost warning for Monday morning.
