Anna Ferensowicz

Prairie residents can expect warmer-than-normal conditions through October before a flip to a colder, stormier pattern in November, according to The Weather Network’s 2025 Fall Forecast.

The release said the transition from summer to early fall has already featured “a dramatic contrast in temperatures across Canada,” including “record breaking cold temperatures” in central Canada and “record shattering heat, especially in western Canada.”

Alberta Health Services has issued a water quality advisory for Cove Beach at Chestermere Lake due to elevated levels of fecal bacteria.

“Alberta Health Services is advising the public not to swim or wade at the Cove Beach area, effective immediately,” the agency stated Friday.

A 51-year-old man from Strathmore is dead after a two-vehicle motor collision south of Irricana on Saturday.

According to police, at 5:43 p.m., Airdrie and Beiseker RCMP attended a report of a two-vehicle collision on Highway 9, three kilometres south of Irricana.

"Upon arrival, the driver and sole occupant of a Ford Mustang, a 51-year-old male resident of Strathmore, was deceased. The driver of a Dodge 3500 truck, a 16-year-old female, and her three teenage passengers received non-life-threatening injuries," police stated.

The Olds Fire Department is part of a pilot study exploring how drone technology is being used to support emergency response in hazardous or hard-to-reach areas where rapid assessment is difficult.

The pilot began after a professor from the University of Alberta contacted Justin Andrew, Director of Protective Services and Fire Chief, through a professional connection about collaborating on a study.

The QEII northbound reopened before 3 a.m. Tuesday, after a jackknifed semi shut it down for several hours between Township Road 294 and Carstairs. Didsbury RCMP warned of icy conditions and urged drivers to avoid unnecessary travel at the time of the incident.

"Didsbury RCMP is currently on scene of a motor vehicle collision involving a jackknifed truck on [the] QEII, near Township Road 294," police said in a statement issued just after midnight. "Highway 2 northbound will be closed in the area until further notice."

Airdrie residents accustomed to receiving their Canada Carbon Rebate (CCR) on or around the 15th of the month may be surprised to see no deposit thus far this month. The final payment is still coming, just later than usual, and it marks the end of the quarterly program.

According to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the last CCR payment for individuals will begin being issued on Tuesday, April 22.

"On March 15, 2025, the Government of Canada stopped the federal fuel charge and the Carbon Rebate for individuals," The CRA noted on its website.

A landspout tornado touched down in southern Alberta near Rolling Hills on Saturday, marking the first confirmed tornado in Canada so far this year, according to Environment Canada. Rolling Hills is located over two hours southeast of Calgary.

"It occurred at about 5:20 p.m. local time," said Eric Van Lochem, operational meteorologist with Environment Canada. "Didn't cause anything in the way of damage, as far as we can tell at this time. So it will likely be on the low end of the Enhanced Fujita scale … this will probably be in that EF0 range."

Alberta's chief medical officer of health says measles cases in the province have reached 58, with public health teams monitoring clusters in the south and central zones.

"Measles outbreaks are occurring in Canada, including Alberta," Dr. Mark Joffe said in a statement Friday. "As of April 11, we have seen 58 confirmed cases in the province, and we are paying close attention to rising cases within the south and central zones."

Joffe said health officials are tracking cases and contacts and working with local leaders to support affected communities.

Under legislation proposed by the provincial government, police in Alberta would be able to issue tickets for scrap metal violations and require sellers to provide proof of ownership for catalytic converters.

The amendments to the Scrap Metal Dealers and Recyclers Identification Act would expand sales tracking requirements, let officers lay charges through violation tickets, and give justices of the peace authority to handle certain offences in traffic court.

RCMP are reminding motorists to drive safely and responsibly after Alberta RCMP laid 9,419 charges for aggressive and dangerous driving in 2024.

Reckless behaviors such as excessive speeding, distracted driving, tailgating, and road rage put drivers, pedestrians, and other road users at risk. To prevent these incidents and improve road safety, RCMP is encouraging motorists to follow key safety practices and report dangerous driving.

To help prevent aggressive driving incidents and ensure safer roads, RCMP provided the following safety tips: