2021-07-06 - Heat Dome Over Alberta

A heat wave warning was issued for Alberta and Saskatchewan at the end of June 2021. June 26th-July 2nd, 2021. This resulted in observations of fewer mosquitoes and more wasps.

To blame is what meteorologists have called a heat dome; ridges of high pressure hovering over the Prairies that create an effect much like a pressure cooker. As the Pacific Northwest, just as the Southwest, experienced severe drought conditions, the already warm air was heating more quickly than usual, which intensified the ridge so strongly it caused a heat dome.

Alberta broke daily record temperatures across the province which not only put people at risk, but also the biodiverse area of Pigeon Lake, for overheating and in some cases death of species such as the whitefish. This heat dome was observed to last a number of days and caused the early Fish Kill in 2021.

Link to the CBC News article on the heat dome HERE.

Link to Wetaskiwin Times post about the Fish Kill 2021, extreme weather event caused by the heat dome HERE.