Environment and Climate Change Canada data show that temperatures in the province last month trended towards the cooler side.
“The further north you went, the cooler it was with respect to average temperature,” explained Terri Lang, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
In the north, Key Lake reported a mean temperature of 10.5 degrees. That’s 2.8 degrees colder than normal, marking their coldest June in 48 years.
Monthly means for other northern parts of the province include La Ronge at 12.2 degrees (2.3 degrees colder than normal and the 6th coldest June in 68 years), and Prince Albert at 12.7 degrees (2.6 degrees colder than normal, and their 8th coldest June in 137 years).
Heading south, Moose Jaw saw a monthly mean temperature in June of 14.4 degrees, which is 2.8 degrees colder than normal, and 18th coldest June out of 128 years.
Plenty of precipitation was seen in the province in June. “More through the northern grain belt and up through central Saskatchewan – they seemed to get in on the rain more than everybody else,” said Lang.
“Most stations in Saskatchewan got at least 70 per cent of their average June precipitation, which is a change from the last couple of years where it’s been quite dry.”
In the north, Prince Albert saw a particularly wet June at 120.7 mm for the month, which is 176 per cent of normal, giving them their 15 wettest June in 136 years. Saskatoon saw 112.2 mm of precipitation last month, amounting to 171 per cent of normal and leading to their 18th wettest June in 129 years.
Lang described Moose Jaw as “middle of the road” at the 63rd driest June out of 131 years, recording 61.1 mm for the month. With average precipitation for Moose Jaw in June amounting to 58.5 mm, this June saw an amount 104 per cent of normal.
Other areas in the southern part of the province saw a drier June. Estevan was 88 per cent of normal precipitation, seeing 66.1 mm last month and marking their 44th driest June in 112 years, and Swift Current was 70 per cent of normal at 50.9 mm, seeing their 40th driest June in 139 years.
Lang said they’ve been seeing cool and wet weather with thundershowers continue overall for the province so far this month, but that looks like it will soon change.
“We are finally seeing a big ridge of high pressure starting to build in towards the weekend and into next week, so it does look like we’ll finally break that pattern and get into some warmer and drier air.”