The next few weeks may not be the greatest example, but the Weather Network is predicting a warmer than normal autumn.
The Fall Outlook, released on Sept. 13, describes conditions in central Alberta to be above seasonal, once it is averaged over the next three months.
Erin Wenckstern, Weather Network meteorologist, said it is hard to explain what normal is for Alberta, as the weather patterns are so varied.
“It isn’t the greatest province to say what the seasonal norm is. Sometimes you have snow as early as August and sometimes you have 20 C weather in November,” Wenckstern said.
According to the release, September will look a little different from the rest of the season with the next two weeks or so expected to be cooler than normal — as nighttime lows reach close to freezing.
The region is also now seeing a shift, with the warmer summer weather heading to the east.
“It certainly doesn’t feel like late summer right now, but we expect by October the weather will shift again,” Wenckstern said.
Much of the western part of the country will experience a cooler start to the season before the temperatures begin to heat up.
Wenckstern stated meteorologists are also tracking a storm system that is expected to hit central Alberta soon. That system is expected to bring colder, near freezing temperatures, chilly winds and rain with a small chance of snow, especially for areas closer to the mountains.
Wenckstern pointed out places such as Kananaskis received snow recently and that system is inching closer to the QEII Highway.
Meanwhile, it’s expected October will see a reversion back to warmer temperatures. These temperatures will largely be above normal for the season, though there will still be dips into the colder weather.
“Fall is a shifting season. The temperature could drop somewhere between one and three degrees every week over the course of three months,” Wenckstern said.
It is difficult to say how much warmer it will be at the end of November, but meteorologists are confident the average will be above normal while producing “near normal” precipitation for most of Alberta.
“We aren’t saying it’ll be completely dry or a stormy season, just fewer storms with just about normal precipitation,” Wenckstern said.
While the winter months are still pretty far off, meteorologist are already getting a feel for what may be in store. In the fewest words — it’ll be cold.
“We are expecting a shift from last year, where the cold temperature will settle over the prairies, with the mountains getting a decent amount of snow,” Wenckstern said.
Wenckstern also suggests keeping an eye on the forecasts for the region.
“Weather is constantly changing. This is what we believe the season will look like, but it is always best to take a look outside and check the forecasts.”