
Rainy days didn't dampen spirits as Calgarians marked Victoria Day weekend at theme parks, charity motorcycle ride
Despite a soggy forecast, Calgarians made the most of the Victoria Day long weekend with the seasonal reopening of popular local attractions, downhill karting and a charity motorcycle ride, with a bit of sunshine on Monday afternoon to cap things off before people return to their daily routines on Tuesday.
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Calgary received 2.1 mm of rain on Friday, 3.5 mm on Saturday and 14.7 mm on Sunday, totalling more than 20 mm over the Victoria Day weekend as of early Monday afternoon, according Environment and Climate Change Canada.
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' Weather aside, Saturday and (Victoria Day) have certainly exceeded our expectations for our grand opening weekend here at Calaway Park,' said Chelsea Barteaux, marketing manager at Calaway Park. 'We have done better than we projected from an attendance perspective.'
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New this year at the park is the Riptide Racer ride, a restaurant called Riptide Grill and a family-friendly water balloon fight.
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Even on Sunday, guests still came out in the rain to enjoy the park, bringing their rain jackets and umbrellas, Barteaux said.
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Heritage Park's Historical Village also reopened for the season on May 17, inviting visitors aboard Calgary's only paddlewheeler, the S.S. Moyie, and to enjoy returning attractions on the Antique Midway.
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Over at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park, Skyline Downhill Karting launched its summer season Saturday. The activity is open to all ages and abilities, with varying hours posted online.
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Calgary Herald
39 minutes ago
- Calgary Herald
Feeling hazy because of the smoke? Here's why
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Global News
a day ago
- Global News
Warmer-than-normal summer could exacerbate wildfire risk: Environment Canada
Canada is expected to see a warmer-than-normal summer with uncertain precipitation levels in most provinces, based on Environment and Climate Change Canada's summer forecast. Jennifer Smith, a warning preparedness meteorologist, said Tuesday that Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario and northern Manitoba are especially likely — 100 per cent in some areas — to see a hotter summer, though the odds are high for the rest of the country, too. 'There are a couple of cooler spots, most prominently along the Beaufort Sea in northwestern Canada, but over all the forecast leans toward a warmer summer across the country,' Smith said. Statistically, she said the above-average warmth may be skewed by extreme short-term heat waves. But in other cases, 'it could be recurring short warm spells or just a subtle, consistent warmth that pushes seasonal averages up enough to nudge the stats.' Story continues below advertisement An early-season hot spell has already resulted in several new temperature records being set in parts of Alberta and British Columbia over the past few days. In wildfire-ravaged Lytton, B.C., the mercury soared to 39.3 C on Sunday, making it the hottest spot in the country and breaking a record set two years ago. Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, with a temperature of 31.7 C and Pitt Meadows, where it hit 32.3 C on Sunday, both broke records set in 1903. On Monday in the Alberta mountain town of Banff, the temperature of 27 C broke a record of 26.1 C set in 1918, while Pincher Creek, Alta. hit 32 C, smashing the old mark of 29.4 C set in 1918. While warmer-than-normal temperatures are predicted to continue for much of the summer, Smith said Environment Canada's modelling couldn't come up with a reliable rain forecast. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy However, he said much of Alberta, British Columbia and parts of Saskatchewan could see below-normal levels of precipitation. 'Summer precipitation is tricky to forecast because it's driven by scattered thunderstorms and local downpours, which are difficult to predict months in advance,' she said. 'Just one big rainfall event can shift a seasonal total to above normal, even if most days are dry.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Just one big rainfall event can shift a seasonal total to above normal, even if most days are dry." Story continues below advertisement Bill Merryfield, a research scientist with Environment Canada, told reporters the lack of spring rain, plus potentially drier conditions moving forward, means that all of Western Canada is expected to be ripe for severe wildfires starting next month. 4:06 B.C.'s 2025 wildfire season forecast Conditions are only expected to worsen by August, Merryfield said, with most provinces west of Ontario expected to reach 'well above average' levels for fire severity situations. He said the forecast doesn't point to the number of wildfires that are expected — rather, the forecast is meant to illustrate how likely a wildfire is to become severe after it ignites. 'Going into the summer, Canada was already experiencing a severe early wildfire season,' Merryfield said, adding as of the end of last month, Canada saw triple the 10-year average in terms of area burned for this time of year. 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Story continues below advertisement 'This long-term warming trend is a major contributor to the high forecast probabilities of above normal temperatures across Canada.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This long-term warming trend is a major contributor to the high forecast probabilities of above normal temperatures across Canada." Health Canada says some of the best ways to stay safe from the heat are to reduce sun exposure as much as possible, stay hydrated and take cool showers or baths. 2:07 Wildfire smoke chokes communities across Canada, U.S. — With files from Ken MacGillivray, Global News


Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Toronto Sun
Warmer than normal summer predicted across Canada, uncertain precipitation levels
Published Jun 10, 2025 • 1 minute read People take in the hot weather at Woodbine Beach in Toronto on Friday June 2, 2023. Photo by Jack Boland / TORONTO SUN Canada is expected to see a warmer than usual summer with uncertain precipitation levels in most provinces, Environment and Climate Change Canada says. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Warning preparedness meteorologist Jennifer Smith says the warmth may be the result of short-term heat waves or the result of a more persistent heat that sticks around for months. The federal agency says Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario and northern Manitoba are especially likely to see a hot summer, though the odds are still high for the rest of the country. Smith says it's uncertain how much rain those areas will receive over the summer, but much of Alberta, British Columbia, and parts of Saskatchewan could see below-normal levels of precipitation. Environment Canada research scientist Bill Merryfield says the lack of rain means starting next month all of western Canada will be ripe for severe wildfires. He says conditions are only expected to worsen by August, with western Canada expected to reach 'well above average' levels for fire risk. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Blue Jays NHL Crime World