Achi news desk-
While rainfall is helping to ease short-term drought concerns in southern Alberta, the region will need much more precipitation to keep moisture levels adequate through the summer.
Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor said recent precipitation in Calgary has humidity levels trending in the right direction.
“It doesn’t necessarily solve any issues, but it helps address some of the shorter-term concerns,” Proctor said in an interview Wednesday.
Calgary has seen measurable precipitation on 16 out of 22 days in May, according to the airport’s weather station.
“Which is shocking, to be honest, when you consider how dry it was earlier in the year,” he said.
With moderate to extreme drought conditions forecast in southern Alberta, Proctor said precipitation is helping tone those levels down a bit right now – but more moisture will be needed to get the province through the summer.
“We may be improving it by some category, but we’re still looking for significant potential for drought out there on the landscape,” he said.
“We’re addressing short-term concerns, but longer-term we still need much, much more moisture than we’ve seen to really alleviate our long-term concerns.”
Despite a rainy May, the City of Calgary is still encouraging Calgarians to be aware of their water usage, especially outside.
“Based on the significant regional precipitation and cold temperatures we’ve experienced so far this spring, drought conditions have improved for Calgary and the region, but we must continue to be prepared,” he said. the city in an emailed statement on Wednesday.
“It’s still early in the season and the summer could bring long periods of hot, dry weather that could affect Calgary’s water supply.”
The city encourages residents to avoid watering if there is rain in the forecast, or after it has rained; only water in the early morning or evening and limit the use of sprinklers to four hours a week or less.
Flooding remains a risk for southern Alberta throughout the late spring and early summer, even with a dry start to the year.
“From May 15 to July 15 is the time when we can get those really big rains, and that’s why the city is very cautious during that season,” said Sandy Davis, river engineering lead with the City of Calgary.
With precipitation increasing as Calgary enters flood season, the city said it is continuously monitoring the weather and river levels.
“What drives flooding in Calgary is heavy rain in the mountains and foothills,” Davis said.
“As we see the snowpack build up and start to melt through May, which tells us a lot about the water supply through the summer, it starts to raise the level of our rivers in the spring, but snowmelt doesn’t only drives river flooding, so what We’re really watching for the big rain systems and those can be challenging to predict in advance.”
Snowpack in the Rockies is starting to provide delayed moisture release, but Proctor said more is still needed. Banff, Alta., has seen nine days of precipitation in May so far.
“As we move into what is typically the warm and dry part of our year, which is taken out of May and June, towards summer, we need more moisture,” he said. Proctor.
Proctor predicts “more normal” summer temperatures for southern Alberta, as the effects of El Nino fade.
