B.C. and Alberta roast in late-August heat as records fall, relief out of reach
Western Canada is experiencing one of its hottest late-summer stretches on record, with wildfire risk in B.C.'s dry interior and Edmonton's rare streak of 30ºC days.
The last week of August is turning into a scorcher in western Canada, with B.C. and Alberta experiencing relentless heat.
Records are falling, wildfires are raging and meteorologists expect that summerlike conditions will persist until September.
On Monday, the village of Lytton, B.C., which is already known for its extreme heat, topped the charts once more with 41.3ºC, the highest temperature recorded in Canada this year.
It comes just two years after Lytton recorded an all-time high of 42.2ºC in 2023.
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B.C. wildfire worries grow as storms threaten dry interior
The scorching temperatures aren't the only issue in B.C., the province's interior valley is set to surge again Tuesday, with forecasts warning that the circumstances could be ideal for breaking new records.
At the same time, a weak trough stretched across the western interior might generate thunderstorms, bringing not just lightning but also the dangerous possibility of starting new wildfires.
That risk is far from hypothetical as at least eight new wildfires have started in the last 24 hours in tinder-dry conditions.
While the trough may give some cloud cover later in the week, relief will not arrive until a low-pressure system moves across the south coast by the weekend, bringing rain and lowering temperatures back to seasonal levels.
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Edmonton braces for rare August heat streak
Across the Rockies, Alberta is also hot. Edmonton is on course to have the longest run of 30 C days this year, with experts predicting up to seven consecutive days of temperatures above 30 C.
The streak began on Monday with a high of 30.2ºC, which the city has only witnessed twice before in July 2024 and June 2021. It has never happened in August.
For many Albertans, this has been the best stretch of warm summer weather this season. Still, the heat continues to be setting records and meteorologists anticipate it will continue into early September.
Temperatures may reduce slightly by the weekend, but they will remain above normal until at least mid-month, when fall-like conditions begin to set in.
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When will the heat break?
Not quite yet.
Forecasters expect that the ridge of high pressure dominating the West will decrease only temporarily before rebounding in early September, resulting in another bout of warmth for both provinces.
True sweater weather may not arrive until the second week in September.
Until then, residents are encouraged to take precautions, whether against wildfire smoke, lightning, or simply the blistering summer sun.
Stay with The Weather Network on the latest weather updates on British Columbia and Alberta.