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Hot times in the city

Erika Sherk
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 22/06) - The NWT had the nicest summer in the country. It might seem boastful, but the claim is backed up by the experts.

Yvonne Bilan-Wallace, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, was one of the authorities vouching for the NWT's picture perfect weather.

"Long sunny days, not too hot, not too cold, not too humid, not too rainy...what more can you ask for," she said.

David Phillips, a senior meteorologist with Environment Canada, agreed that the NWT had a beautiful summer.

Temperatures were consistently high without being extreme, he said.

It was the fourth-warmest summer in 60 years, according to Environment Canada's records. It helps, he said, that the summer of 2005 was a bit miserable - cold and rainy.

"Last summer was the eighth coldest in 60 years. People felt robbed, thinking, Nature is so unkind," he said.

"This summer, compared to last summer, was like utopia," Phillips added.

Temperatures are up everywhere, he said, but especially in the territories.

"It's like a proverbial hot tub," he said of the North, "old-timers who say the weathers not what it used to be ... they're not imagining it, they're right on."

The summer was indeed warmer. It was 3.6 degrees warmer than average - a difference Phillips said is significant.

"People notice when it's even one degree higher than average," he said.

Yellowknife residents did notice the heat.

"It was sunny and warm. It was great for being outside," said Geoff Ray, executive director of the NWT Recreation and Parks Association. "There were more people out playing in the parks and on the trails. I thought it was fantastic."

A hot summer does not mean Yellowknife is headed for a warm winter like last year.

"Rarely do you get two balmy winters in a row," said Phillips, adding that it was generally seven degrees warmer than normal last winter in the NWT.

He said that the upcoming Yellowknife winter should be close to normal.

A bit of extra snow is in forecast, but otherwise temperatures will be fairly standard for the area.

Bilan-Wallace said that while temperatures will be close to normal, they will err on the side of being warmer. Phillips agreed, with caution.

"I would almost bet my government pension that this will be a warmer than normal winter, but I'd be the most surprised person in Canada if it's as balmy as last winter," he said.