Melancholy May long weekend weather is a Calgary tradition

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The big problem most people have over the long May weekend is simple. What will the weather be like? Weekends informally indicate that a warm month begins, and many of us like to start the season with camping, hiking, golf, gardening and countless other outdoor activities. This Sunday and Monday forecast (currently) does not include rain, but it may be a bit chilly.

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Looking at the average temperature and rainfall in May, the average daily maximum temperature is 16 degrees Celsius, and the rainfall in May is usually only 7 days. But in reality, even the rain and snow in May often coincide with the weekend of Victoria Day. Let’s look back at some of the weather problems over the long weekends of May in the past from the Calgary Herald archives.

1902

The first Victoria Day in Canada will be celebrated on May 24, 1902. May 24th is Queen Victoria’s birthday, and after her death in 1901, Congressmen declared it a statutory holiday. A special event was planned for the city in 1902, but the weather in Calgary and southern Alberta did not cooperate as the holidays approached.

The cold floated just a few degrees below freezing, and it rained — and fell. It rained 65.0 mm on May 18, and 16.3, 18.3, and 16.5 rains were recorded in the city for the next three days. According to the following short story in Calgary Herald on May 22, 1902, this led to the postponement of “almost impassable” roads and a special celebration of the Calgary Fire Brigade.

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1904

Two years later, Victoria Day was a bit mild and dry, and the company was enthusiastic about new holiday ideas. Here’s how a Calgary clothing store marked this opportunity: Flannel suits are priced from $ 7.50 to $ 13.50 and hats are priced from $ 1.50 to $ 5, and you’ll see an ad confirming that a local man has everything he needs for the day.

1907

It rained again for several days before Victoria Day in 1907, but the rain stopped early in the morning and many events took place, including an athletic meet in Banff.

1911

The Victoria Day holiday in 1911 was another cold and rainy holiday. On May 22, 1911, Calgary recorded 15.2 cm of snow, followed by 35.6 cm of snow on May 23 and 5.1 cm of snow on May 24. Farmers and ranchers appreciated the humidity of the ground, but those looking for Victoria Day fun were disappointed when the holiday sports and outdoor events were cancelled. However, the following Herald story from May 25, 1911 has some good news.

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1941

On Victoria Day 1941, a snowstorm blew into southern Alberta, throwing a 20.1 cm white object on the ground in Calgary. Due to the weather, many events in the city have been cancelled. The most notable was the Victory Torch. This torch was brought across the country to show support for soldiers fighting in World War II and to encourage Canadians to buy victorious bonds to support their war effort.

Thousands of elementary school students were scheduled to attend a special ceremony at the grandstand to see the torches, but authorities say it is not in the student’s best interests to have them sit outside in cold and humid weather. I decided. Snow also led to the cancellation of the Calgary Regimental Band recruitment rally and concert. Poor visibility and slippery streets also caused 15 car accidents in the city.

1959

Calgary Herald reported that the 1959 Victoria Day weekend was another weekend when the weather was not ideal.

2000s

Looking at the long weekend weather in May of this century, it’s not hard to find a snowy or rainy day with dampers on your outdoor plans.

2003

2007

2009

2016