Calgary under warning with heat wave expected to last up to 10 days

After a brief reprieve from the extreme heat, the City of Calgary is once again under a heat warning that could last well over a week.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued the warning on Monday afternoon and cautioned of a “prolonged heat event” that is expected to last up to 10 days.

The warning covers a large area of southern Alberta and the weather agency says it will likely be expanded to include other areas.

ECCC says daytime highs will hover between 28 C and 35 C throughout the stretch. Overnight lows will be somewhere between 12 C and 20 C.

People are advised to protect themselves and those around them by taking the following measures:

• Consider rescheduling outdoor activities to cooler hours of the day.
• Take frequent breaks from the heat, spending time in cooled indoor spaces where possible.
• Drink plenty of water and other non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages to stay hydrated.
• Check for your children or pets before you exit your vehicle. Do not leave any person or pet inside a closed vehicle, for any length of time.

“Monitor for symptoms of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, such as high body temperature, lack of sweat, confusion, fainting, and unconsciousness,” says Environment Canada.

“Pay particular attention to individuals that can experience earlier or more severe effects from heat including infants, children, seniors, and individuals with pre-existing lung, heart, kidney, nervous system, mental health or diabetic conditions, outdoor workers, as well as those who are socially isolated.”

Much of the province was under a heat warning for most of last week that saw several Alberta heat records fall, including one in Calgary.

The city hit 34.2 C on Wednesday, breaking the previous record of 34.0 C, set in 1985.

The record-breaking heat prompted the province to introduce a fire ban for Alberta’s entire Forest Protection Area. The ban includes Kananaskis Country and much of the Foothills west of Calgary, but national parks and towns are exempt from the ban.

Last week’s heat warning ended on Friday and the weekend saw some slightly cooler air move in.

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