‘Pleasant week’ forecast with above-normal temperatures

With December just days away, the weather forecast for Calgary is looking unseasonably warm, as Environment Canada predicts sunny skies and above-zero temperatures this week.

On Tuesday, Calgarians are expected to see a high of 7 C. Apart from a chance of showers on Wednesday, when a system moves through the Prairies just east of Calgary, clear conditions and mild overnight lows are predicted until late in the week.

“Generally, a fairly pleasant week, above-normal temperatures,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Chris Wielke.

But he added that temperatures are likely to cool off by the end of the week, bringing a chance of flurries for Dec. 1.

“The upper ridge breaks down a little bit late this week,” Wielke said.

“Another system moves in (with) a chance of flurries for Saturday and a high of -3 C, so slightly below normal.”

The average high temperature for this time of year in Calgary is about 0 C, with typical lows in the -10 C range.

“Normal temperatures ... can fluctuate quite a bit this time of year,” Wielke noted.

The warmer temperatures follow Friday’s wintry conditions, which prompted a snowfall warning and led to collisions and road closures around the city.

On Sunday, Environment Canada issued a fog advisory for areas east of Calgary, including for Drumheller and Medicine Hat, where dense fog patches were expected. Visibility was expected to improve Monday morning.

Wielke said there will be a more likely chance of showers mid-week east of the city.

The highest temperature record for Nov. 26 in Calgary was 18.3 C, set in 1922, while the record for the lowest temperature on that date was set in 1985, when Calgarians faced a low of -33.8 C.