Calgary Weather: Thursday will be the 17th rainy day this month

Amid concerns about drought and an early fire season, much-needed rain is becoming part of Calgary's weather history.

May is usually Calgary's fourth wettest month of the year with an average of 56.8 millimeters of precipitation.

June is the wettest month with 94 millimeters, followed by July with 65.5 millimeters and August with 57 millimeters.

According to Environment Canada and Climate Change (ECCC), Calgary recorded 45.5 millimeters of precipitation at YYC International as of May 22, 2024 (publicly available weather station data published by ECCC).

These cooler temperatures and recent rainfall have helped replenish soil moisture and alleviate short-term drought conditions. Rain and sleet/snow in the Rockies also contributed to the increased moisture, which eventually made its way into local river systems.

Wildfire danger is also low, with most of Alberta showing low risk as of May 23, 2024, and northern Alberta mostly rated between medium and high risk.

Relative fire danger index May 23, 2024. The rating is based on the likelihood of a wildfire starting, the difficulty of extinguishing a fire if it starts, and the amount of damage caused.

Thursday will still be a bit cooler, with daytime highs six degrees below average. Temperatures will climb into the mid-teens over the weekend and drop into the low 20s early next week.

On Thursday, Calgary is expected to see scattered showers, but mostly light showers, with some isolated thunderstorms possible. A cold low complex south of Saskatchewan and strengthening Montana will create some instability and there may be enough updrafts for thunderstorms to develop.

The same system could bring heavy rainfall to Manitoba, with up to 50 millimeters of rain expected in southern areas.

A Montana low will combine with warm and moist air from the Gulf, raising the risk of very severe storms across the Midwest over the next couple of days.