By noon on Wednesday, Calgary had already hit 33.5 C and counting
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Above-average temperatures are expected to cling to Calgary for several more days, as the city grapples with the third day of record-breaking heat.
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Calgary broke its daily maximum temperature record on Tuesday and was on track to break the all-time record Wednesday afternoon, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). With a high of 36.3 C reported Tuesday, Calgary surpassed the daily record set on June 29, 1896, of 34.4 C.
By noon on Wednesday, Calgary had already hit 33.5 C and counting. Around 4:30 p.m., the temperature was sitting at 35.5 C, just one-degree shy of the city’s all-time record of 36.5 C.
“It’s going to be close to breaking the record (Wednesday). We’ll know this evening if it was able to heat up that additional amount,” said Justin Shelley, a meteorologist with ECCC.
Calgary had already surpassed the highest temperature recorded on June 30, which was 33.3 C in 1892.
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Shelley explained that the above-average heat will likely be around for the next several days, as the heat dome slides east and weakens off.
“Temperatures are still going to be about three to five degrees above normal this weekend and through early next week. But the heat will be a bit more subtle starting Friday afternoon, there’s a chance we could see some thunderstorms roll off the foothills,” he said.
An extreme heat warning remains in place for the entire province, as record-breaking temperatures continue to be reported. Special air quality advisories that were declared in some regions have been removed in a few areas, including the city of Calgary.
The record heat eased for some parts of British Columbia, Yukon and the Northwest Territories on Wednesday, but eastern B.C. and the prairies were still engulfed in heat.
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In Alberta, there were 12 all-time daytime high records set on Tuesday, ECCC confirmed. Of those 12 records, nine of them had been set the day before on Monday, breaking their all-time record on consecutive days.
Grand Prairie recorded an all-time high of 41.5 C on Tuesday, beating out the previous record of 38.4 C on the day prior. And the Jasper area documented a high of 40.3 C, which broke the previous days’ record of 39 C.
“For this particular heat wave, it’s not surprising to see this. With previous heat waves, the peak heat is usually one or two days so you don’t get these consecutive days of breaking records,” said Shelley.
“This event is different in the fact that we started breaking two or three days ago and we still are today.”
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AHS said Calgary emergency departments and urgent care centres saw 10 heat-related visits in the past 24 hours, as crews continue to be busy treating sunburns, heat exhaustion, heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses.
Between Tuesday morning and Wednesday afternoon, EMS crews in Calgary responded to 34 heat-related calls, and EMS in Edmonton responded to 71. Last Friday — before the heat wave — Edmonton and Calgary EMS were called to only seven heat-related incidents combined, according to AHS.
Emergency rooms across the province have been busy the last 24 hours, with 23 heat-related visits in the Central zone, 18 in Edmonton and nine in the South zone. As well, the North zone reported an increase in emergency room visits due to heat.
“Stay hydrated, reduce your heat risk by scheduling outdoor activities during the cooler parts of the day and if you plan to be outside, especially Thursday, be sure to bring water, sunscreen and a hat with you. Always have a way to alter your plans if you notice signs of heat illness in yourself or others,” said Shelley.
Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) said on social media that the record set for energy consumption on Monday was broken again on Tuesday, and the province was likely to see a similar load on the grid Wednesday. The new peak set on Tuesday was 11,721 MW.
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On Tuesday afternoon an emergency energy alert Level 1 was declared, but the alert was cancelled around 6 p.m. when AESO said they had enough energy supply to meet the demand.
AESO is asking people to conserve energy where they can for the rest of the heat wave, especially in peak hours between 4 and 7 p.m.
sbabych@postmedia.com
Twitter: @BabychStephanie
Calgary to see above-average temperatures for several more days - Calgary Herald
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