La Ronge also broke two heat records back in March. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Heat Wave

Summer in La Ronge hottest on record

Sep 2, 2021 | 5:00 PM

La Ronge had the warmest summer on record since data began being collected 55 years ago.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada Meteorologist Terri Lang, the average temperature in June, July and August was 17.5 C compared to 16 C as the long-term average. She explained the heat wave at the end of June and into July set the standard for how hot summer was going to be.

“La Ronge wasn’t unique in being sort of the hottest place,” Lang said. “There were a number of places in Western Canada that came through as the hottest. That’s because they are sort of being affected by the same weather pattern. That big ridge of high pressure that sat over western Canada, blocked the heat, blocked all of the storms from coming through or any cooler weather patterns.”

The temperature in August was within normal ranges with an average of 16 C compared to a 30-year average of 16.1 C. Lang noted August was also the third wettest on record with 105 millimetres of rain compared to an average of 61.

“That came in very wet, which is why the fires sort of ended quickly because there was so much moisture that came through,” she said.

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Lang mentioned climate change scientists believe heat waves, such as the one that occurred in British Columbia this summer, would have been unlikely to happen without a trend of warming temperatures.

“What happened with the summer being hot in so many places that is completely consistent with the science of climate change,” she said.

It’s been a record breaking year for heat in La Ronge. On March 18, the temperature reached 12.4 C to beat the old record of 11.6 C set in 1991. The following day on March 19, it reached 15.3 C to break the old record of 14.4 C set in 1928.

The forecast for the upcoming long weekend is mostly cloudy with a 60 per cent chance of showers on Friday. Saturday and Sunday will be 17 and 18 C, respectively, with overnight lows of 7 and 11 C. Monday is expected to be 19 C with a mix of sun and cloud.

“It looks like it will be an unsettled start, on the cool side, cloudy, particularly Friday and Saturday,” Lang said. “It’s getting a little better for Sunday, but maybe some showers coming through for Monday.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @saskjourno