# Elbow, Saskatchewan

Elbow (2016 population: 337) is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of Loreburn No. 254 and Census Division No. 11. Elbow was founded in 1909, near what is now Lake Diefenbaker. It is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north-west of Mistusinne, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north-west of Douglas Provincial Park, and 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) south-east of Loreburn. The village got its name from its position on the elbow of the South Saskatchewan River.
Adjacent to the village is a provincial recreation site with a marina, golf course, and beach access. There is also a sod house (now a museum) and a library within Elbow.

## History

Elbow incorporated as a village on April 6, 1909.

## Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Elbow had a population of 341 living in 165 of its 246 total private dwellings, a change of 1.2% from its 2016 population of 337. With a land area of 3.96 km$^2$ (1.53 sq mi), it had a population density of 86.1/km$^2$ (223.0/sq mi) in 2021.
In the 2016 Census of Population, the Village of Elbow recorded a population of 337 living in 163 of its 243 total private dwellings, a 6.8% change from its 2011 population of 314. With a land area of 3.92 km$^2$ (1.51 sq mi), it had a population density of 86.0/km$^2$ (222.7/sq mi) in 2016.

## Elbow Harbour Recreation Site

Elbow Harbour Recreation Site (51°06′30″N 106°36′27″W﻿ / ﻿51.1082°N 106.6075°W﻿ / 51.1082; -106.6075) is adjacent to Elbow in the RM of Loreburn No. 254. The park is centred around Lake Diefenbaker's Elbow Harbour and has a 110-slip marina, an 18-hole golf course, and an RV campground with 60 fully serviced campsites. There is beach access, fuel, laundry facilities, a restaurant, and a grocery store.

## Climate

Elbow experiences a Humid continental climate (Dfb). The highest temperature ever recorded in Elbow was 43.3 °C (110 °F) on June 24, 1941. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −43.3 °C (−46 °F) on January 25, 1972.
Climate data for Elbow, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1918–present :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 10.0 (50.0) | 12.0 (53.6) | 21.8 (71.2) | 33.9 (93.0) | 38.0 (100.4) | 43.3 (109.9) | 41.1 (106.0) | 40.9 (105.6) | 38.3 (100.9) | 32.8 (91.0) | 21.1 (70.0) | 16.3 (61.3) | 43.3 (109.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −9.4 (15.1) | −5.1 (22.8) | 1.5 (34.7) | 11.5 (52.7) | 17.5 (63.5) | 21.8 (71.2) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.2 (77.4) | 19.4 (66.9) | 10.5 (50.9) | 0.4 (32.7) | −6.0 (21.2) | 9.4 (48.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −14.6 (5.7) | −10.6 (12.9) | −4.1 (24.6) | 4.9 (40.8) | 10.4 (50.7) | 15.2 (59.4) | 18.3 (64.9) | 17.6 (63.7) | 12.0 (53.6) | 4.3 (39.7) | −4.4 (24.1) | −11.0 (12.2) | 3.2 (37.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −19.7 (−3.5) | −15.9 (3.4) | −9.6 (14.7) | −1.9 (28.6) | 3.2 (37.8) | 8.6 (47.5) | 11.0 (51.8) | 9.9 (49.8) | 4.6 (40.3) | −1.9 (28.6) | −9.2 (15.4) | −15.9 (3.4) | −3.1 (26.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −43.3 (−45.9) | −40.0 (−40.0) | −42.8 (−45.0) | −26.6 (−15.9) | −12.2 (10.0) | −2.8 (27.0) | 0.0 (32.0) | −2.0 (28.4) | −13.3 (8.1) | −22.8 (−9.0) | −32.7 (−26.9) | −42.2 (−44.0) | −43.3 (−45.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 15.1 (0.59) | 7.7 (0.30) | 13.8 (0.54) | 20.8 (0.82) | 51.2 (2.02) | 78.9 (3.11) | 53.4 (2.10) | 45.2 (1.78) | 34.0 (1.34) | 18.4 (0.72) | 13.0 (0.51) | 12.1 (0.48) | 363.6 (14.31) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 1.0 (0.04) | 0.7 (0.03) | 4.3 (0.17) | 16.7 (0.66) | 50.4 (1.98) | 78.9 (3.11) | 53.4 (2.10) | 45.2 (1.78) | 33.9 (1.33) | 14.9 (0.59) | 3.0 (0.12) | 0.8 (0.03) | 303.1 (11.93) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 15.1 (5.9) | 7.0 (2.8) | 9.5 (3.7) | 4.1 (1.6) | 0.9 (0.4) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.0) | 3.6 (1.4) | 10.0 (3.9) | 11.3 (4.4) | 60.4 (23.8) |
| Source: Environment Canada ||||||||||||||