Temperatures reaching unexpected highs
Joan Pierce has travelled to numerous provinces during her tenure as a care worker, but the Maple Creek resident has seen few winters quite like this.
“It’s just like spring’s coming,” she said.
“There’s not a speck of snow lying around, and there’s not a drop of water lying around.”
The retired Salvation Army major is witnessing temperatures reach double digits. Thursday saw highs of 13.7 C, while Friday reached 14 C.
Both temperatures bested previous record highs.
Although Pierce enjoys the warm conditions, she worries that they may not last.
“I look out every morning and say, ‘Oh, this is nice,’ but I just say to myself, too, ‘Wait until it hits,’” she said.
Temperatures across the province are rising above normal and setting record values.
Leader hit 12.2 C on Thursday and 8 C on Friday. Swift Current saw highs of 7.3 C and 4 C on those days, respectively.
The story was much the same across southern Saskatchewan with Oxbow reaching 7.1 C on Thursday and 3 C on Friday.
Kamsack reached 4.8 C and 2 C on those days, while Shaunovan hit 6.8 C and 5 C. Estevan went as high as 7.1 C on Thursday and 3 C on Friday.
Regina resident Alana Bergstrom walks to work every day, and her commutes are far nicer as a result. She likes the weather so much she doesn’t want to jinx it by talking about it too much.
“I really don’t want to say a ton, because there is not enough wood to knock on,” she said on a 1-degree Friday afternoon.
Likewise, Aaron Murray said he has been doing far more walking and physical activity because of the warmth.
Residents in South Saskatchewan are also enjoying the warm conditions.
While Pierce anticipates colder weather, others are looking ahead to their vacation time.
“We ’ re planning on going away in January so we’re hoping everybody is cold by then,” Leader resident Gerald Smith said with a laugh.
“More fun when you go away to a warm place.”
The higher temperatures don’t surprise Smith, as he recalls a warm spell hitting the town approximately 20 years ago. He attributes current conditions to Saskatchewan’s trademark weather anomalies.
Meanwhile, Oxbow resident Gloria Daniels isn’t surprised by the warm weather; according to her, the town had similar conditions two years ago. She does, however, worry that global warming may have a hand in the warmer temperatures.
While you would be hardpressed to find a citizen who doesn’t like the warmer conditions, many of them don’t rely on cold weather for their income.
Duck Mountain Ski Area general manager Craig Brock relies on snowfall for his trail. If the warmer weather continues, the Kamsack area trail could suffer, resulting in fewer Christmas visitors who account for roughly 25 per cent of his annual business. Although Brock can gather and distribute snow from other parts of the hill, he’s placing hope in the forecasts calling for snowfalls later this month.
With current forecasts calling for sunny days next week, however, Saskatchewan may continue having warm weather for better or worse.