Extreme weather events continue in Alberta

Alberta has seen extreme heat, wildfires, tornadoes, flooding, and heavy snow in June — why has this been happening, and what other weather-related surprises might be on the way?

The lack of rain and the dry heat is causing issues for farmers and their crops, though the Town of Edson and Yellowhead County declared states of emergency due to flooding and increased rain.

Jasper National Park saw 55 centimetres of snow Monday, leading to the closure of two roads and the rescue of 60 stranded visitors.

And the province saw a “tornado outbreak,” with nine twisters jumping between Calgary and Medicine Hat and another spotted near Vermillion in eastern Alberta.

This is on top of 72 active wildfires in the province, 14 out of control, leading to thousands being evacuated from their homes.

Over 1.4 million hectares have burned in Alberta so far in 2023.

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Related Stories:

• Town of Edson declares state of emergency due to flooding

• Rain that doused Alberta fires now cause flooding and prompt evacuations

• Canada’s wildfire situation eases slightly, risks remain as 400 wildfires still burn

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While it’s not uncommon to see massive weather swings in Alberta, CityNews Meteorologist Michael Kuss says there are signs these events are tied to climate change.

“Generally looking at climate change, we see more dramatic events taking place,” he explained.

“So that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s hotter every day or colder every day or, you know, we’re into a persistent heatwave. But when the events take place, they’re more dramatic, and we’ve really seen that this year encapsulated just this month.”

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WATCH: Naheed Nenshi and Craig Snodgrass look back on the 2013 Calgary flood

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The increased weather conditions also come on the 10th anniversary of the southern Alberta flood, as local water levels could once again be concerning.

“With all the rain that we’ve had mainly through central and northwestern Alberta over the last couple of days, that combined with the snow in the mountains, it is a bit of a concern that we’ll see those waters rising in our rivers and streams,” Kuss explained.

“So that’s something to watch out for — potential for at least localized flooding over the next handful of days.”

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Related Stories:

• From the ruins: What Calgary has learned from the 2013 floods

• Calgary floods: Preventing another disaster

• From the ruins: Calgary artist found inspiration in wake of 2013 floods

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With active weather from one extreme to the other, it’s not easy to plan what to wear.

While Calgary isn’t in the clear just yet, Kuss says we’re slowly transitioning into a more consistent, seasonal pattern.

“It is wild. It’s basically a full year’s worth of weather all in one month,” Kuss said.