When 'snowsuits replaced bathing suits' on a memorable summer day in Alberta

Maybe, just maybe, in a heat wave, you could find yourself thinking wistfully about the time of year when the temperature is a little lower.

But snow actually falling to the ground in July may not be something you really want to see.

That's what happened in parts of Alberta in mid-July of 1999, when an overnight eight-centimetre snowfall made for compelling visuals on TV later that day.

"Snowsuits replaced bathing suits on kids playing near Red Deer," the CBC's Ian Hanomansing told viewers on The National on July 15, 1999.

Hanomansing said the central part of part of the province had gone through a prolonged period of cool, wet weather.

"In fact, because of a record amount of precipitation, some people have been told to conserve water to keep systems running smoothly," he said.