Alberta faces record warmth as heat soars to start April

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Extreme weather is a way of life on the Prairies.

This week will prove no exception as a double-digit temperature swing sends readings toward record territory to start April. Just as fast as temperatures rise, though, a cold front will completely erase the warmth in equally dramatic fashion by the end of the week.

Comfortably warm temperatures will feel especially pleasant in Calgary, where folks just witnessed one of their snowiest Marches on record.

DON’T MISS: Beware sneaky springtime sunburns as April warmth arrives

Tuesday and Wednesday: Short-lived warmth builds

A ridge of high pressure building into Western Canada will send winds soaring up and over the Rockies, spilling down into Alberta with record-breaking warmth in spots.

Saturday’s daytime high of -2°C in Calgary will seem like a distant memory by Tuesday as temperatures climb into the mid-teens.

Daily record highs are likely on Tuesday as readings peak around the 20-degree mark for some communities. The warmest temperature we’ve seen so far this year in Edmonton was 16.2°C, a benchmark we should easily surpass this week.

Given that this warmth is partially due to downsloping, gusty winds of 60+ km/h are possible at times across the southern half of Alberta.

Due to the ongoing drought conditions, forecasters and officials will monitor the fire danger rating with temperatures in the 20s alongside dry, downsloping winds.

Beware the risk of a sneaky springtime sunburn if you plan to head outdoors and enjoy the short-lived warmth this week. The UV index is steadily climbing this time of year, and the sun angle in early April is equivalent to the sun angle in early September.

The warmth isn’t long for the world.

A cold front crashing into Alberta toward the latter half of the week will send temperatures sinking back toward seasonal, with highs once again in the lower single digits across Calgary and Edmonton. Unsettled weather and a renewed chance for snow will accompany the cooler conditions by late this week and into next weekend.

Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on your forecast across Alberta.

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