Thunderstorms sweep southern Sask., climatologist predicts warmer months ahead

Thunderstorms are expected to roll throughout much of southern Saskatchewan on Tuesday.

Environment Canada meteorologist Shannon Moodie said there is a period of very unsettled weather moving through the province, bringing thunderstorms and varying amounts of rain along with it.

Read more:

• Most highway work between Saskatoon and Humboldt expected to wrap up this year
• VIDEO: History made as Yellowstone bison released in Battlefords
• How to combat ticks while enjoying the great outdoors in Saskatchewan

“It looks like, in general, most of southern Saskatchewan is going to get some kind of rain over the next 24 hours,” Moodie said.

Much of the province can expect five to 10 millimetres of rain, the meteorologist added, while as much as 15 millimetres could fall in parts of southern Saskatchewan.

“When you have a heavy thunderstorm, it can give quite a bit of rain in a quick burst, and with it being kind of a convective scenario, you can have pockets of heavier rain,” explained Moodie.

“At this time we’re not expecting a broad-scale rainfall warning, but that’s not to say that there won’t be severe thunderstorm warnings issued for heavy rainfall.”

She said both Regina and Saskatoon can expect to get some rain on Tuesday.

August should be warmer than normal in Saskatchewan

Despite the stormy, rainy, and cooler weather expected this week, David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada, said the month of August is expected to be warmer than normal in Saskatchewan.

“Forget this week; it’s going to come back,” Phillips said during an appearance on the Greg Morgan Morning Show.

“If you have left your holidays for August, don’t fret. We haven’t used up all your summer-like weather yet.”

Phillips said he also expects September and October to be warmer than normal.

“I would guarantee you’re going to have frost in September sometime,” Phillips noted.

“You’re going to maybe have a skiff of snow before the pumpkins come out at the end of October, but that doesn’t mean that August, September and October are not going to be gorgeous.”

Phillips said he expects the next three months to be a bit wetter than normal as well, which should provide some help for farmers and help clear the air of some of the wildfire smoke that has been drifting through the province all summer.

The predictions for a warm end to the summer come after the season seemed to start in May for much of Saskatchewan.

“You had more days above 30 C in May than you had in all of June and July,” Phillips said.

“I don’t think that’s ever happened before.”

Phillips said there’s still a lot of warm weather ahead for the province.

“My sense is, don’t write the final chapter on summer-like weather,” he said. “We still have a lot of summer to come.”