There is a huge difference between December 2023 temperatures and the 30-year average.

Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Terri Lang compiles the monthly statistics from twelve cities and towns around the province. The monthly mean temperature was anywhere between 7.0 and 9.4 degrees above normal. Lang notes that 160 maximum temperature and 50 high minimum temperature records were set last month.

Lang also compiled the averages for all of 2023. While the temperature differential is smaller, Lang says it is very significant because it includes the numbers from all 12 months.

Precipitation was at a premium in December with Swift Current only receiving one-half millimetre.

(Credit for the maps and charts goes to Environment and Climate Change Canada. A January 3rd interview with Terri Lang and CJWW Agriculture Director Neil Billinger is below: