Different from years in recent memory, this summer will not bring relentless, persistent heat.

According to the Weather Network’s summer forecast, an El Nino will deliver very changeable weather, with transient bursts of heat moving across the country, mainly in the west.

Doug Gillham is a Senior Meteorologist with the Weather Network. He says, “the cooler and seasonal temperatures will be a bit more prevalent, but for the country as a whole, we don’t think that many are far off from normal, which is some good news maybe after a chilly spring. Summer is going to show up, but it shouldn’t be too severe.”

He adds that most of the country will be warmer during June, but during July and August, it will be cooler the further east you travel, and warmer the further west you go.

Saskatchewan will sit right in the middle of that. This is good news for wildfire season, Gillham explains, however his concern for a lack of June precipitation in the prairies counteracts that hope, at least slightly.

“The average rain for June is higher than any of the other months, but yet it’s a month that looks like it’ll be drier than normal. It’s very important that you get the rain in June.”

Although Saskatchewan’s forests might be spared this year, above normal temperatures are still expected for Alberta and British Colombia.

“That smoke carries downstream. I don’t think we’ll see a repeat of what we’ve seen recently with the fires across northern parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, but the smoke can certainly still travel quite some distance.”

Although July and August might be a bit cooler than we’re expecting, on the bright side, he adds that the strong El Nino will also mean a much milder fall and winter.