Calgary hits 36.4 — a temperature for record books
Effects of all-time scorcher compounded by unwelcome haze of forest-fire smoke
Calgary smashed an all-time heat record Friday afternoon, reaching 36.4 C as of 5 p.m. — the hottest temperature ever recorded in this city.
“Nobody alive today can remember a warmer moment than they ’ve experienced today,” said David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada. “That’s really something.” Forecasters had been predicting record-setting high temperatures for Friday all week, and they were not wrong.
By noon, the temperature recorded by Environment Canada at Calgary International Airport had hit 32.3 C, surpassing the previous daily high temperature for Aug. 10, which was 32.2 C in 1928.
The thermometer just kept rising from there. By 4 p.m., the city was baking under 35.9 C heat and was inching closer to the all-time temperature record of 36.1 C.
That eye-popping temperature has been reached twice in Calgary — once on July 15, 1919, and once on July 25, 1933.
While health officials warned Calgarians — especially vulnerable individuals such as senior citizens, small children and those with medical conditions — to seek shade and stay hydrated, weather experts watched in fascination as the mercury climbed.
“It’s important to understand these are temperatures in the shade,” said Phillips. “If you’re in the sun, you can easily add seven or eight degrees to that.”
Phillips said what is so stunning about the temperatures reached in Calgary on Friday is that they occurred in spite of a haze of forestfire smoke blanketing the city.
Smoke scatters sunlight and provides a temperature-mitigating effect. In addition, the highest temperatures in Calgary are usually reached in July, not August.
“It’s Aug. 10 — you’re losing 21/2 minutes of daylight per day. The sun is lower in the sky. It’s hard for nature to cook up these kinds of temperatures,” Phillips said.
“Normal highs should be 23, not 36. It’s like another world — and you’re doing that with the huge obstacle of the smoke.”
The extreme heat drove up electricity demand in the province, which set a summertime electricity usage record driven in large part by the use of air conditioners.
According to the Alberta Electric System Operator, Albertans had burned through 11,169 megawatts of power by 3 p.m., compared to an average daily demand of 9,671.
Enmax tweeted that Calgary set a new all-time record for electricity demand: 1,692 megawatts at 4:30 p.m.
Those without air conditioning, or those who had to work in the sweltering conditions, faced significant challenges Friday.
At Calgary ’s Byblos Bakery, where four giant commercial ovens bake pita bread, bagels and tortillas 16 hours per day, management and staff definitely were sweating.
“It’s pretty tough on everybody, no doubt about it,” owner George Daklala said. “We have an employee we hired just a couple of days ago — she said, ‘I don’t know if I can continue, it’s too hot.’ ”
Daklala said he reminded the new employee that these conditions are unusual, and that everyone
Normal highs should be 23, not 36. It’s like another world — and you’re doing that with the huge obstacle of the smoke.
will be more comfortable in a few days. In the meantime, he said he was encouraging all staff to take it easier today.
“We’re saying, ‘don’t push yourself, drink more water, go for a break and relax a bit,’ ” he said. “It is tough, no doubt about it.” Luanne Whitmarsh, CEO of Calgary’s Kerby Centre, said the heat, combined with the forest-fire smoke — which had the city suffering under a special air quality statement — has been very challenging for older people, many of whom are fearful to go out in these conditions.
“It can result in isolation, and I think that’s what the concern can be,” Whitmarsh said. “We try to tell people to get themselves to the library, for example ... it’s airconditioned and you still get to socialize, but you’re not putting yourself in harm’s way.”
Whitmarsh added it’s important for younger people to take a moment to check on their neighbours and relatives when the mercury soars.
“Stop in and say, ‘How are you doing?’ ” she said. “‘Did you get to the store today? Have you had a cold beverage? Can I play a game of cards with you?’ There are so many things you can do.”
In the 24 hours up to late Friday afternoon, EMS responded to at least five calls related to the sizzling heat and the poor air quality from the B.C. wildfires.
Spokesman Nate Pike said there would likely be more calls before day’s end.
“We’ve had an air quality rating of six, which is moderate, but for those particularly vulnerable, it’s more like an eight,” said Pike.
While many in the city were sweltering, some Calgarians who hail from warmer climes couldn’t help thinking that what passes for a heat wave in Calgary is pretty mild by international standards.
Nuruddin Jassa — who came to Calgary from Karachi a decade ago — said while he has largely acclimatized to the temperatures in southern Alberta, he still takes heat warnings with a grain of salt.
“Over (in Pakistan), temperatures now are around 42 C. For them, heat is a part of life,” Jassa said, pointing out that Pakistan has set records with temperatures tipping above 50 C. “This heat is nothing compared to back home.”
Heat stroke cases and death also aren’t uncommon in Pakistan, said Jassa, particularly when rising temperatures put a strain on power generation plants resulting in power blackouts. “We are spoiled over here,” he said.
Now when he returns home for visits with his family, Jassa said he’s reminded that he’s no longer accustomed to the extreme heat.
But he said he still has at least a “psychological” advantage when it comes to coping with heat waves in Calgary: “We’ll say, ‘oh it’s hot — but it’s better than back home!’ ”
While Friday was a scorcher, immediate relief is expected for the weekend. Environment Canada is forecasting a high of 26 on Saturday, with a 30 per cent chance of showers during the day and a 60 per cent chance of showers overnight.
By Sunday, Calgarians could be reaching for their sweaters — with a forecast high of 22, a 70 per cent chance of showers and an overnight low of just 8.