The warming trend from September carried into October, according to weather stats from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
Environment Canada says all weather stations in Saskatchewan were between 1.9 to 3.4 degrees above normal for the month. Key Lake recorded its warmest month on record with an average temperature of 3.3 degrees and La Ronge had its second warmest October at 5.9 degrees. Yorkton was 3 degrees warmer than usual and Saskatoon was 2.5 degrees above normal. Regina averaged 6.9 degrees for the month, which is 2.7 degrees above average.
Environment Canada Meteorologist Danielle Desjardins noted daytime highs in the Queen City were in the teens compared to single digit averages in years past.
The month of October also saw more precipitation than usual in some areas. Regina had 28.2 millimetres, Moose Jaw had 31.3 mm, Prince Albert 32.5, Key Lake 41.1, Estevan 39, and Meadow Lake 41.3 – all above average. Saskatoon and North Battleford were close to average while Yorkton was 72 per cent of normal at 20.3 mm. La Ronge recorded its sixth driest month at 13.9 millimetres, well below the historical average of 41.3. Swift Current had just 11.3 mm.
Desjardins attributes some of the higher numbers to a mixed precipitation event over the Thanksgiving Long Weekend.
