Yellowknife Experiencing 2nd-Hottest May on Record

Two weeks in, this month is already Yellowknife's second-warmest May on record and according to a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), temperatures do not appear to be dropping in the immediate future, reports CBC News.

Meteorologist Terri Lang said that it is largely because of a weather pattern called a "blocking high." She said it creates a high-pressure area and underneath the high pressure, air sinks. 

Though a blocking high is common in the summer — and often responsible for heat waves — Lang said they are seen less frequently in the spring. 

Lang said 1973 saw Yellowknife's hottest May on record, but with two weeks left in this month, 2023 could soon be crowned the new record-holder. Climate data for Yellowknife goes back to 1943.

Seven of the past 10 springs have been warmer than average in N.W.T. capital.

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