(File Photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Breaking Records

Melfort, Hudson Bay break daily temperature records during heatwave

Jul 5, 2021 | 12:03 PM

The heatwave that was felt across Western Canada last week and over the weekend has seemed to pass.

However, it’s a stretch of hot weather that will stick in the record books for a couple of northeast communities.

Melfort and Hudson Bay both broke a few daily temperature records over the last few days. On June 29, Melfort reached 31.9 C which broke the record of 31.1 C set in 1944. Melfort broke another 70-plus year record on July 2 as it reached 35.6 C, breaking the 1948 record of 32.8 C. Hudson Bay on the other hand broke records on three separate days. First on June 30, Hudson Bay hit 31.8 C, breaking the 2008 record of 31.4 C. Then on July 2, Hudson Bay reached 34.7 C, breaking the record of 31.5 C set in 2013. The next day, Hudson bay got to 34 C, breaking the record of 30.6 C set in 1975.

Meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada Terri Lang said while the province was scorching, Saskatchewan was fortunate more daily records weren’t broken.

“The event was more, sort of, over the British Columbia, Alberta side,” Lang said. “We were just kind of on the Eastern side of the whole thing, so I think in that respect we lucked out quite a bit.”

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The northeast didn’t see any all-time records being broke, and Lang said hot stretches like this aren’t uncommon in Saskatchewan, however this one was much different.

“We usually don’t see something of the size of it, the intensity of it,” she said. “Through British Columbia and Alberta, a lot of all-time records were being broken. In Northern Saskatchewan, all-time records were being broken.”

While the system has now made its way out, the norm would be to see a bit of sever weather to follow. However, Lang said this system of warm air calmly moved its way out and it looks like some major storm activity will be avoided early this week.

She added that Saskatchewan is back into a “westerly flow” which now creates some opportunities for severe weather.

“That’s associated with the weather system that’s going through Montana and not related to the system we just had,” Lang said.

Thursday and Friday would be the most likely days for some severe weather.

Meanwhile, Lang added that with the heat cause some wildfires in B.C., Saskatchewan residents may begin to experience some smoke in the province, she said, but it won’t be of any concern.

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mat.barrett@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @matbarrett6