Summer just keeps on giving.
The next three days will be scorchers, capped off with a blazing 30 C on Saturday.
If that is reached, it will be the first time the temperature has hit 30 C this month, although Red Deer came close with a 29.4 C last Friday. Statistically, Red Deer gets 1.3 days of 30 C in July.
“On average, you get a day in July and every few years a second day in July,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Dan Kulak. For the year? On average, three days of at least 30 C.
Thursday’s temperature is expected to hit 28 C and Friday 25 C. Thursday is also expected to produce some thunderstorms and a 40 per cent chance of showers.
That follows another brush with severe weather in Central Alberta on Wednesday.
Severe weather watches for most of Central Alberta were issued around 3 p.m. It was upgraded to a thunderstorm warning for Rocky Mountain House at 3:17 pm, with strong wind gusts, heavy rain and nickel-sized hail reported as the storm made its way there.
Kulak said he gets asked often what the difference is between a watch and a warning.
“Watch, (there’s) potential — heads up. Warning — duck.”
While it may seem to many that hot days in Central Alberta are always paid for with thunderstorms later in the day, it’s more complicated than that.
“There is somewhat of a correlation between warm weather and storms. But it’s not a given that on hot days you’re going to get thunderstorms.
“There’s more to mix of ingredients required than just the heat.”
The latest hot spell is the result of southwest air flows over the mountains that is bringing up a lot of warm from the U.S. It’s the same pattern, that is to blame for dumping smoke from B.C.’s wildfires into Alberta.
By Sunday, it will start to cool down with 21 C forecast. Monday is forecast to hit 20 C and Tuesday 22 C.
“Early part of next week it will come back closer towards what we would consider an average temperature,” he said.
pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com