July weather cooler, wetter than usual

If you think the summer has been colder and wetter than normal in Yorkton you’re not imagining things.

Dave Phillips, Environment Canada’s senior meteorologist confirmed that rainfall has been about double the average for July so far at 91 mm instead of around 50 mm.

That’s a little bit more than even farmers might want to see. It is also a little bit unusual because it has been sustained rather than in big downfalls. In fact, Yorkton had eight days in a row of rain, from July 5 – 12, he said, and when it was not raining, it was threatening, which is more like Lower Mainland B.C. weather than Saskatchewan.

With respect to the temperature, the rain and cloud may be contributing to the perception of coolness because on average

“The air temperature is about normal , but you just haven’t had those really warm days,” he said.

That also may be coming as a bit of a shocker, he noted, considering the mild winter and hot spring. Yorkton’s hottest day this year so far was May 5 at 32.5. The second hottest was May 4.

“I’m sure a lot of prairie people were thinking ‘oh, good, this is going to be a good roasty kind of summer’ and, my gosh, you’ve only had one day after [May 5] above 30 and that was June the ninth,” Phillips said.

He foresees a more normal end of July and August, however, one drawback of which is mosquitos. The little bloodsuckers have been out in force since the sun came out.

Sunrise Health Region warns with the mosquitos comes the risk of West Nile. Tips to avoid it include: plan outdoor activities at times other than dusk and dawn; wear light colored, long-sleeve clothing; use an appropriate mosquito repellant containing DEET; mosquito-proof your home by checking and repairing window screens; keep your property free of standing water.