Hot weather to stick around for a week.

Saskatoon could see 34 C today

From one extreme to the other, Saskatchewan has been experiencing a crash course in severe summer weather.

This week it’s the heat that is bearing down on the city.

Environment Canada is forecasting temperatures in the 30 C range all week for Saskatoon and much of the province.

Saskatoon should see a high of 34 C today thanks to a high pressure ridge letting warm air flow through the province, said Environment Canada meteorologist John Paul Cragg.

“We’re looking at really, really hot temperatures for the next seven days at least,” Cragg said. “We’ll be trending well above average.”

Temperatures in the city this week could feel like 40 C with the humidity.

A humidex advisory has been issued for Saskatoon and much of the province today, which means people should be careful about spending too much time outdoors.

Heat stroke is a real possibility this week, said MD Ambulance spokesperson Troy Davies. Children and seniors are particularly susceptible to the extreme heat, he added.

“Stay hydrated and keep out of the sun,” Davies said, adding that a lack of sweat is one sign a person is suffering from heat stroke.

“What concerns us is when someone stops sweating. When your body is producing sweat, it’s cooling itself down.”

People should wear light clothing, look for shade and keep hydrated while avoiding fluids such as energy drinks, alcoholic beverages and coffee, Davies said.

“These drinks dehydrate you a bit quicker,” he said. “It’s not bad to have one, but they do speed up the process of dehydration.”

Thunderstorms are a possibility later on this week in parts of Saskatchewan, according to Environment Canada. But for the most part it’s sunshine and lots of it.

Earlier this year Environment Canada forecast a hot and dry summer so the high temperatures this week could stick around for a few extra days or return later this month, Cragg said.

“We could see spells like this throughout the summer, for sure,” he said.

The average maximum daily temperatures in July and August are 24.9 C and 24.4 C, respectively. The highest temperature ever recorded in Saskatoon in July hit 40 C in 1919. The August high of 38.6 C was recorded in 1997.

“We’re not in any danger of breaking those records this week, but it will be high,” Cragg said.

The extreme heat follows other severe weather pattens that brought tornadoes, plenty of rain and hail, and strong winds to Saskatchewan. Combined, those events caused a lot of damage and power outages across the province.

These weather patterns are typical for summer, but what Saskatchewan has experienced so far this year is unusual, Cragg said.

“The difference is that these patterns this summer are holding longer,” Cragg said. “The severe weather hung around and the high temperatures will do the same.”