Weather and Gardening Discussion

[MichaelS]

And the overnight lows not really getting all that low is part of it as well I think.

 

[Mountain Man]

We get these in the summer too though. Maybe it's just me, but 30 isn't worthy of a heat warning.

 

[CBBarnett]

We get these in the summer too though. Maybe it's just me, but 30 isn't worthy of a heat warning.

It's a bit of how you look at it. I have shared this before, but think it's a good one. Number of days per year with highs above 30:

The top 3 years were all in the past 5 years:

• 2021 = 21 days
• 2022 = 17 days
• 2024 = 16 days

Of those years, none had a 30 degree day in May. I think we have to go back to 2006 to have a 30 degree day this early.

So is it the biggest heat wave ever - no. And to your point, it's increasing more of the same in recent years. But that's probably why it's still a warning - this isn't "normal" still.

 

[ByeByeBaby]

Anyone know why we get a heat warning every time the temp comes close to 30? We never used to have them and now it happens every time.

I believe they take into account how close the temperature is to the recent average. So a 30-degree day after it's been 27 for two months may not get a warning, whereas the first 30-degree day after its been 10 degrees for two weeks might. I think that's why there has been a few lately.

Also might have something to do with the seasonal expectations: 30+ degrees in late May is not unheard of, but is 10+ degrees above normal averages.

It's pretty simple (I think this is even part of the heat warning message on my phone in the Environment Canada app):
When 2 or more consecutive days of daytime maximum temperatures are expected to reach 29°C or warmer and nighttime minimum temperatures are expected to fall to 14°C or warmer. (source)
That is, two hot days where it won't cool down enough at night to let things naturally cool off. Nothing to do with recent temperatures or when in the year it is. I wonder if we have higher humidity these days and that's keeping more warmth in the air in the evenings?

But there's a little nod to local climate: The above is the definition for Calgary (and as it happens it has been the same here for over a decade); in fact, it's the definition for Edmonton and Yellowknife as well. But in southern Alberta (ie Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Pincher Creek) the max needs to be 32°C and the min is 16°C. In southern interior BC, it's 35°C and 18°C. On Baffin Island, a heat warning means a daytime high over 22°C.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

This heat is crazy, especially for May. Two days above 31⁰ in May, in Calgary. It's 6 pm right now and its 31⁰ with 13% humidity.

 

[Rollerstud98]

Very much looking forward to tomorrow.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

We ended May at an average high of 20⁰, and an average low of 5.7⁰. Has to be one of our warmest in history. Additionally, we came within 0.6⁰ of hitting our all-time high for May on the 29th.

I said it before, two days above 31 in May is crazy. Especially while Southern Ontario was sitting at 8⁰ with a wind chill of -1 when I called my mom Saturday morning.

 

[CalgaryTiger]

We ended May at an average high of 20⁰, and an average low of 5.7⁰. Has to be one of our warmest in history. Additionally, we came within 0.6⁰ of hitting our all-time high for May on the 29th.

I said it before, two days above 31 in May is crazy. Especially while Southern Ontario was sitting at 8⁰ with a wind chill of -1 when I called my mom Saturday morning.

May long May long'd though haha

 

[Surrealplaces]

I count on May long sucking every year, and make all my plans for the weekend following.

 

[Mountain Man]

First day of summer, might get heavy snow in the mountains lol.

 

[CalgaryTiger]

I know the City decided not to do something like this, that was a mistake.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/what-on-earth-boston-green-infrastructure-1.7565303

The city is seeing more intense and frequent storms and flooding due to climate change.

When that happens with traditional mounded medians and curb strips, water runs off them, adding to the water flooding onto streets and into drains (and making it harder to keep grass and trees on them alive).

Turning those areas into bioswales means digging out soil until they're lower than the road, and making breaks in the curb so water will flow off the road into the garden, which is planted with native wildflowers and grasses.

 

[lemongrab]

At the very least we could at least implement it on new builds:

Boston now has a policy that requires green infrastructure in major roadwork projects.


"So moving forward, all our street projects that do some kind of reconstruction … will all have green infrastructure in them," England said, "which is very cool."

But also use it as further impetus for traffic calming projects. They might become a lot more popular if they were 'local flood mitigation' projects that just happened to bump out the curbs in places...you know...to hold more water...

Rain gardens are also included in about 20 Boston neighbourhood "slow streets" projects, which aim to calm traffic and improve pedestrian safety with features such as "bump-outs" – curb extensions that narrow the road at intersections, improving pedestrian safety, and can be used as planters.

 

[Surrealplaces]

Lots of rain over the past couple of days. Confed flooded out pretty good.

 

[Roaring Flames]

It wouldn't flood so much through there if the creek wasn't buried and treated as stormwater