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<\/p>\nA dry July kept Calgary in the clear from damaging storms that hit portions of central Alberta, but the unpredictable nature of weather should have residents expecting the unexpected.<\/p>\n
This summer has been memorable weather-wise throughout most of Alberta, with tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and extreme heat, while conditions in Calgary have, for the most part, been fairly unremarkable.<\/p>\n
Central Alberta has faced the brunt of the storm systems. Canadian Weather Stats show Edmonton received 264.7 millimetres of rainfall in the month of July. One storm cancelled the second night of Post Malone’s world tour at Commonwealth Stadium and left parts of the city underwater.<\/p>\n
Calgary has usually experienced its first insurance claim-inducing hailstorm by the start of August, but the city exited July relatively unscathed.<\/p>\n
Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor said this summer has seen a mid-province split, with severe weather staying in and above central Alberta.<\/p>\n
“It’s really sort of Red Deer northward,” said Proctor. “We still see dryness in Red Deer, but by the time we get to Ponoka, we start seeing that increase in moisture.<\/p>\n
“That’s really where the sort of dividing line has been for much of that severe weather that we saw through the month of July.”<\/p>\n
Related<\/p>\n
Proctor said although central Alberta has seen record-breaking moisture levels, places such as Lethbridge and Calgary would welcome more precipitation.<\/p>\n
“It’s the third driest Lethbridge in 110 years of what we saw in the month of July,” said Proctor. “There’s been exceptional dryness across the southern tier of the province.”<\/p>\n
According to statistics from Environment and Climate Change Canada, Calgary is experiencing its sixth warmest and driest summer on record.<\/p>\n
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Heritage Park\u2019s S.S. Moyie provides a backdrop for Calgarians enjoying the day at the Glenmore Reservoir on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026.<\/p>\n
Aside from a brief hailstorm at the end of June and pockets of rain in July, Calgary hasn’t received the moisture required to generate the severe storms other parts of Alberta are seeing.<\/p>\n
“Moisture for thunderstorms is like gasoline for an engine,” said Proctor. “We need that moisture to really set those thunderstorms off. If we have tremendous amounts of instability in the atmosphere with no moisture, we won’t get thunderstorms.<\/p>\n
“The south was exceptionally warm and dry, and central Alberta was relatively warm but really quite wet, as we kept cycling those thunderstorms.”<\/p>\n
Alberta extreme weather can be attributed to B.C. jet stream, says meteorologist<\/p>\n
The Weather Network has noticed similar trends, including a tale of two cities.<\/p>\n
“Between Edmonton and Calgary, we’ve had such contrast between the amount of moisture,” said Tyler Hamilton, meteorologist at The Weather Network. “Calgary’s past 30 days is running quite dry, so it’s a remarkable contrast when you head up the QE2.<\/p>\n
“You know, Red Deer has seen about normal precipitation. But once you get to Leduc, Edmonton, it’s that record-breaking time again this summer.”<\/p>\n
Hamilton has been keeping an eye on the jet stream, and said most of the extreme weather Alberta has been seeing can be attributed to B.C.<\/p>\n
“It’s just going to come down to that jet stream in British Columbia,” said Hamilton. “It’s been essentially textbook perfect to create a severe thunderstorm environment across the province.<\/p>\n
“Once those winds aloft pick up, they cross the Rocky Mountains from British Columbia \u2014 it’s just a storm factory that develops.”<\/p>\n
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Sailers and kayakers enjoy the day at the Glenmore Reservoir on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026.<\/p>\n
In true Calgary fashion, he said we can’t rule out the possibility of a hailstorm.<\/p>\n
“Hail is kind of the Achilles heel of Calgary,” said Hamilton. “When we look at the type of setups, for whatever reason, the wind direction, they tend to really favour the north end of Calgary for large hail.”<\/p>\n
There is a chance that Calgary will receive a reprieve from the dry weather, as Environment Canada is forecasting rain this weekend and into next week.<\/p>\n