Tuesday’s high of 31.8 C in the Airdrie-Calgary area broke a daily temperature record set in 1886, according to Environment Canada.
“That includes the Calgary and Airdrie area,” said Heather Rombough, Senior Meteorologist with Environment Canada.
According to the July 9 summary, the previous record of 31.7 C was set in 1886. Records for the area have been kept since 1881.
“Relatively speaking, it is [hot]. It was a record high, after all,” Rombough said. "The normal temperatures for the Calgary area at this time are 23 degrees. That was not quite 10 degrees above normal, but it was getting close — nine degrees above normal. So it is warm, for sure.”
Other nearby regions also broke historical records Tuesday, including:
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Drumheller, which hit 33.6 C (old record: 32.6 C set in 2024)
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Sundre, with a new high of 31.8 C (previous: 29.2 C set in 2015)
Rombough said the spike was short-lived, with a cold front expected to sweep through southern Alberta by tonight.
“Today’s high is still 28 degrees for Calgary. It should still be quite hot over a good chunk of southern Alberta,” she said. “And then tonight, there’s a cold front that will come through. And then tomorrow’s high is only 20 degrees.”
According to Environment Canada’s July 9 forecast for Airdrie issued early Wednesdat morning, the temperature was expected to reach a daytime high of 21 C today, with a 30 per cent chance of afternoon showers and the risk of a thunderstorm. Northwest wind gusts could reach 40 km/h by the afternoon.
Thursday’s forecast calls for a high of 20 C and a continued risk of afternoon thunderstorms. The UV index for both days is rated “high.” Temperatures are expected to rebound Friday with a high of 27 C, followed by 25 C Saturday and 22 C Sunday.
By early next week, the forecast shows a cooling trend with daytime highs dipping to 18 C on Monday before returning to seasonal norms around 22 C by Tuesday.
Looking ahead to the final days of Stampede, temperatures will rise again before cooling slightly into early next week.
“For Friday and Saturday, the highs are still in the high 20s, approaching 30 — like 27, 28 — and then a little bit cooler for Sunday, in the mid 20s,” she said.
Thunderstorm activity may also affect the Calgary region as the front passes, Rombough added.
“There’s a good chance of some potentially severe thunderstorms through central Alberta today, and it could reach as far south as Calgary,” she said. “There’s some uncertainty about exactly what will develop, but it does look like areas further north of Calgary will see the worst conditions.”
Forecast models for mid-July indicate temperatures will return to seasonal levels.
“Looks like for the next week or so, things are more around normal, a little bit cooler on Monday, and then it rebounds to around the normal temperatures — around 23 — for the full week,” she said.
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