Scorching Canada Day heat breaks multiple records across Sask.

Unrelenting hot weather is rewriting daily record temperatures across Saskatchewan.

According to Environment Canada, 26 communities set new daily maximum temperature records on Canada Day as a heat dome continues to move east across the Prairies.

Meteorologist Shannon Moodie said the prolonged heat wave settled over Saskatchewan on Thursday.

“We’ve seen the gradual temperature increase throughout Saskatchewan and yesterday was certainly one of the hotter days of this event,” she said.

Leader and Stony Rapids registered as the hottest places in Saskatchewan on Thursday at 38.5 C.

The hottest place in Canada was the Trail-Warfield area in B.C. at 40 C.

Saskatoon set a new record of 35.4 C, breaking the old record of 33.9 C set back in 1962.

Rosetown, Swift Current and Maple Creek all broke records previously established in 1937, while North Battleford smashed its record set in 1914.

Prince Albert reached 33.2 C Thursday, beating 32.2 C set back in 1885.

“There were quite a few records that were broken yesterday in Saskatchewan,” Moodie said. “The bulk of the heat was more so in the central regions and western Saskatchewan.”

Extreme heat warnings were in place for all of Alberta, Saskatchewan and much of Manitoba, and now B.C. and northwestern Ontario are also under a heat warning.

Prior to this week, the hottest temperature ever recorded was 45 C in Midale and Yellow Grass in 1937. Lytton, B.C., broke that record three times this week, hitting a scorching 49.6 C on Tuesday.

Friday’s temperatures are expected to stay piping hot, or get even hotter.

Saskatoon is expected to reach 39 C, which would smash the previous record high of 33.4 C set in 1986.

Regina is set to break its record of 33.9 C set in 1886 with a forecasted high of 35 C Friday.

“That’s pretty substantial,” Moodie said. “It’s another day of extreme heat.”

Saturday will introduce the beginning of a return to normal temperatures, with moisture expected for some parts of the province.

“That heat is going to linger in the province. It won’t be quite as hot,” Moodie said.

“We have a system that’s going to be moving through Alberta today and into Saskatchewan later this afternoon and through the night, and with that, we are looking at seeing some thunderstorms.”

After Saturday, Moodie said normal temperatures in the mid-20s will be forecasted next week.

“It’s still going to be warm. We may see a few days that will be around normal, but in general, we’re still looking at a trend of above-normal temperatures through the week,” she said.