The heavy fog that descended on parts of Edmonton Friday may have some wondering why the air feels so moist this summer. The city is experiencing what CTV News Edmonton meteorologist Cory Edel calls a “not rare, but unusual” amount of humidity in the air. “People say that all the time: ‘Alberta is a dry cold, or a dry heat,’” he says. “It hasn’t felt that way this year at all. We have been more humid than normal. We’ve been seeing more moisture in the atmosphere.” That moisture, exacerbated by the super El Niño set up, lends itself to heavier storms, more precipitation and temperatures that can sometimes feel “heavy.” There are some pros to the humidity, Edel says: The moisture has staved off the worst of Alberta’s forest fire season. Edmontonians may also notice their hair or skin feeling healthier. “Every few years, we do see our humidity bump up here and there. But as we saw breaking records that are over 100 years old, we haven’t seen this much humidity and moisture in the region for a long time. So this year is definitely a big anomaly.” Impact on your home With extra moisture comes increased risk of mould. Jordan Faulkner, who treats mould as the owner of Boisvert and Croft plumbing and heating, says homeowners should be checking open walls and baseboards for cracks. “Make sure your A.C. is running because that’ll take the humidity out of the air for you. Make sure your humidifier is off,” he told CTV News Edmonton. “Opening windows, especially if it’s humid outside, is going to let that humidity in as well.” He also suggests ensuring house landscaping is graded properly so that moisture can’t find its way in. If mould starts coming through the walls, he says “you’ve probably got more than just a humidity problem.” In milder cases, however, he suggests running whatever will wick moisture out of the air, including a dehumidifier if “you’ve got one kicking around.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson
