churches, being the first- through fourth-largest Christian denominations in Canada. This perhaps especially noticeably affects traditionally dominant denominations among the area's farm communities of Roman Catholic, Presbyterian (cum-United Church in Fort Qu'Appelle albeit not universally in neighbouring Qu'Appelle and Indian Head) and Methodist (universally cum-United in 1925 hereabouts.) But the historic church buildings are nonetheless supplemented latterly by the more recently constructed Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church, Our Saviour Lutheran Church, and the more recently arrived denominations' Valley Alliance Church and Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. Once-thriving rural United Churches survived until the 1950s but closed when farmers' regular access to town increased and more fundamentalist at-home meetings acquired some favour. Climate Fort Qu'Appelle has a semi-arid, highland continental climate with dry winters and cool summers (Köppen climate classification BSk), Fort Qu'Appelle's winters can be uncomfortably cold; but warm, dry Chinook winds routinely blow into the city from the Pacific Ocean during the winter months, providing the occasional break from the cold especially during the times of El Niño–Southern Oscillation. These winds have been known to raise the winter temperature by up to in just a few hours. Fort Qu'Appelle is a town of extremes, and temperatures have ranged anywhere from a record low of on January 1916 to a record high of on 5 July 1937. The closest weather station recording historic climate temperatures is at Qu'Appelle, south south-east on Highway 35. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the average temperature in Qu'Appelle ranges from a January daily average of to a July daily average of . As a consequence of Fort Qu'Appelle's relative dryness, summer evenings can be very cool, the average summer minimum temperature drops to . Fort Qu'Appelle has a semi-arid climate typical of other cities in the Western Great Plains and Canadian Prairies. Fort Qu'Appelle receives an average of of precipitation annually, with of that occurring in the form of rain, and the remaining precipitation as of snow. Most of the precipitation occurs from May to August, with June and July averaging the most monthly rainfall. Droughts are not uncommon and may occur at any time of the year, lasting sometimes for months or even several years. Sports The Mission Ridge Ski Hill, located just south of the town near the Treaty 4 Grounds, is open during the winter and is patronised by ski-enthusiasts from the valley and environs and from Regina