Alberta Weather Radar

Alberta climate

Alberta's climate is defined by its position between the Rocky Mountains and the vast prairies, creating some of Canada's most dramatic and rapidly changing weather. The province experiences a continental climate with cold winters, warm summers, and relatively low precipitation. Calgary is famous for its chinook winds—warm, dry downslope winds that can raise winter temperatures by 20°C or more in a matter of hours.

Alberta sits in the heart of Canada's tornado alley and severe weather corridor. Summer thunderstorms can produce large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes, with the Calgary–Red Deer corridor being particularly active. The 2020 Calgary hailstorm caused over $1.2 billion in insured damages, making it one of Canada's costliest natural disasters.

Winters in Alberta are long and cold, with temperatures in Edmonton and northern regions frequently dropping below -30°C during Arctic outbreaks. However, the province also enjoys abundant sunshine year-round—Calgary and Lethbridge are among Canada's sunniest cities. Spring and fall are short transitional seasons marked by rapid temperature swings and occasional early or late-season snowstorms.