Five Alberta cities rank among the country’s driest according to a World Atlas list and provincial data.
Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer are in the list of Canada’s 10 driest cities based on Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 Canadian Climate Normals, with Lethbridge reporting about 14.7 inches of total annual precipitation and Medicine Hat about 13 inches.
Provinces on the prairies and the west generally have lower precipitation because mountain ranges force moist air upward, causing much of the moisture to fall on windward slopes. Leeward areas then receive drier air, contributing to lower annual totals.
Despite several dry years, the Government of Alberta’s latest snowpack outlook is the most favourable since 2022, with above‑normal mountain snow water equivalents and early indicators of improved precipitation. Provincial ministers said strong snowpack and replenished moisture levels could lead to healthier river volumes and better conditions for agriculture, communities and reservoirs as spring melt begins.
Other prairie cities on the World Atlas list include Regina and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
