Warmest Canadian summer in 76 years: A look back at southern Alberta’s big weather stories of 2023

2023 was certainly a year for the record books when it comes to significant weather that impacted southern Alberta.

Here’s a look at the big weather events that made headlines this year.

DEADLY AVALANCHE SEASON

Beautiful temperatures and sunny conditions were enticing to outdoor enthusiasts in spring 2023, but the mild temperatures also contained an invisible threat.

Near the end of April, a special public avalanche warning was issued across Western Canada by Avalanche Canada due to a dramatic increase in temperatures that destabilized the snowpack.

One person was killed in an avalanche in the Lake Louise area during this warning, capping a particularly dangerous winter with a total of 15 avalanche fatalities in the west last season.

Beautiful temperatures and sunny conditions were enticing to outdoor enthusiasts in spring 2023, but the mild temperatures also contained an invisible threat: avalanches.

COSTLY SUMMER STORMS

Powerful storm cells delivered rapid amounts of rain and hail in July, damaging people’s homes and property.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says four major storms, including Calgary’s hail storm during Stampede, cost about $300 million in insurance damage this year.

2023 was the third straight summer that Alberta saw significant insured damage from hail, wind and rain.

CANADA DAY TORNADO

On July 1^st, a powerful tornado wreaked havoc on central Alberta.

Categorized as an EF4, it’s estimated to be one of the strongest in the province’s history with wind speeds up to 275 km/h.

A tornado that set down on July 1 was among the most powerful in years in southern Alberta. (Photo: Allan Seguin)

It was comparable to the Edmonton Tornado in 1987 that killed 27 people and injured hundreds more.

Fortunately, no humans were killed in the Canada Day tornado, but there were livestock losses and one person suffered minor injuries.

Twelve homes were damaged by this tornado and three homes were destroyed.

Its path was 15 kilometers long and more than 600 metres wide.

RELENTLESS HEAT

This summer the country recorded its warmest summer in 76 years, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and Alberta was no exception.

In Calgary, the heat was so bad for so long, the city had to take serious measures, enacting stage one water restrictions for the first time in history due to drought conditions.

Water levels in the Elbow and Bow Rivers were at historic lows with the Bow in particular flowing at levels not seen in more than a century.

SMOKE-FILLED SUMMER

A warm spring sparked an early start to wildfire season in Western Canada fuelled by the marathon stretches of heat.

The fires produced smoke that cloaked much of the province throughout much of the spring and summer.

There were times when Canadians suffered some of the worst air quality on the planet.

ECCC says several major cities, including Calgary, experienced more than 200 hours of smoke this year.

AMAZING AURORAS

When it wasn’t smoky, clear night skies throughout 2023 allowed us to see some beautiful light shows across Alberta.

The vibrant displays of colour are due to an increase in the sun’s solar activity, and the light shows could be even better in 2024 as the sun enters the peak of its solar cycle.

Northern lights over southern Alberta in early November. (Photo: Matt Melnyk)