Milder temperatures, more storms predicted in Sask. this summer

Saskatchewan could see a stormy summer, but don’t expect much of the same extreme heat the province saw in 2021.

The Weather Network is predicting a “near seasonal” summer this year in Saskatchewan, according to meteorologist Dr. Doug Gillham.

“There will be heat waves (and) there will be periods of hot weather, but we don’t expect that extreme heat and widespread drought will take over the summer anywhere near to the level that it did last summer. Also (there will be) less wildfire smoke to deal with, so (there’s) definitely some good news,” Gillham explained.

That means temperatures in the mid-20s C to start the summer, and in the upper 20s towards mid-summer.

“It will be cooler than last year — more of a typical summer,” added Gillham.

Gillham pointed out a couple of areas in the province are going into the summer period behind the proverbial “8-ball.”

“Areas that are dry, especially into southwestern parts of Saskatchewan down towards (the) Swift Current area, you’re still going to struggle in that region. Areas to the east where it’s been very wet, we’re finally going to start to dry out. For some, it’s too little too late,” he said.

People should be on the lookout for more summer storms this year as well. Gillham said forecasters don’t yet know exactly where the storm track will likely hit.

Gillham said he will be closely watching what’s happening in the west-central areas of the United States, where a “heat dome” could bring record-breaking temperatures this summer.

“Around the heat dome, you get what’s often called the ‘Ring of Fire.’ That’s where you get your active storm track,” he said. “We think the focus of the heat is south of where it was last year; B.C., Alberta, throughout the Prairies (and) more Stateside this year.”

Gillham cautioned it’s still early in the season, and it’s hard to predict things with certainty.

— With files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick