Canada Global(Web News)On December 22, 2023, 80-year-old temperature records were broken at 10 locations in Alberta. Two locations broke the daily maximum temperature record.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), at least ten temperature records were broken across the province on Friday, including two places where the daily maximum temperature record was more than 50 years old.
Many of the locations experiencing record-breaking temperatures were in southern Alberta.
Data posted on the ECCC website showed that the hottest spot in the province was Taber at 14.9 C, where the previous record of 14.0 C was set in 1994.
Lethbridge and Bow Island both posted record high temperatures of 14.4C. Lethbridge’s previous record of 12.2 degrees was set in 2005, while Bow Island’s record was set in 1994.
Jasper broke an 80-year-old record on Friday, beating the old record of 8.9C with a high temperature of 9.0C.
The Claresholm area recorded a high of 13.7 on Friday, smashing the 63-year-old mark of 12.8 set in 1960.
Medicine Hat, Waterton, Easter, High River and Nordegg also posted new record highs.
A breakdown of temperature values can be found on the ECCC website.
Much of the warm weather is being attributed to an El Niño over the Pacific Ocean, but the weather agency has said climate change is also having an impact.
Environment and Climate Change Canada released its winter outlook earlier this month predicting above-average temperatures for Alberta and western Canada.
The forecast takes into account the winter months between December and February 2024.
Warmer-than-normal waters affect the jet stream and weather patterns around the planet, often leading to milder and less snowy winters in Canada. .
ECCC officials said their forecast models “show no clear signs of precipitation this winter” in Alberta. The
forecast also predicts below-normal snowfall in the mountains.
