| ||The east-west pattern in the summer is markedly different from the north-south latitudinal effect evident in January daily mean temperatures. In July, dry areas with little cloud cover are subject to greater solar heating. This condition is common in the southeast corner of the province, which experiences the warmest average July temperatures. Areas of high elevation tend to be cooler. Elevation and cloud cover contribute to an east-west temperature gradient in the southern half of Alberta. The eastern half of the Peace Region is generally warmer in July than the surrounding areas.
Surface moisture conditions influence air temperatures. When the surface is dry, solar energy heats the ground, which in turn heats the air above it (called sensible heat because we can feel it) and contributes to higher air temperatures. When the surface is moist, such as a moist soil, healthy crop or water body, solar energy evaporates water, and the energy is stored as latent heat which is released when the water condenses to form clouds and precipitation.