Wednesday’s Westerner Days parade should escape the cool, showery weather predicted for later in the week, an Environment Canada spokesman says.
The parade is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and last for about two hours. Almost ideal weather is possible.
It won’t be too hot as a large upper trough is running through the area, bringing a weather change, said John McIntyre, an Environment Canada meteorologist, on Monday.
There may be periods of rain but the high temperature is expected to reach 19C.
Westerner Park general manager John Harms, who keeps a sharp eye on the weather the entire week of the Westerner Days, said the parade forecast has already improved from an earlier prediction of showers all day.
The parade will run the same route it has made for many decades. It starts at the Arena, goes east on 43rd Street, proceeds north on 47th Avenue, then west on 53rd Street. The parade then turns south along 51st Avenue, then east on 48th Street, and south on 48th Avenue before returning to the Arena.
McIntyre said the forecast for Thursday and Friday isn’t shaping up too well at this point.
Thursday could be cloudy with 70 per cent chance of showers and a high of 16C.
McIntyre said we can blame the predicted cooler weather on the West Coast and Alaska, where a large cool trough is sitting and ready to march down into Alberta.
It could be here by Thursday.
McIntyre joked that the Vancouver area has been cool and wet most of this summer.
“We haven’t seen the sun since last August,” he said.
Friday in Red Deer could see a mix of sun and cloud with a 40 per cent chance of showers and a predicted high temperature of 18C.
The weekend should warm the hearts of Westerner Days participants.
Saturday is predicted to see a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 21C.
Sunday will be sunny with a high temperature forecast of 23C.
Harms said fair organizers are prepared for all weather.
He said the grounds have a public address system that will sound and direct people to buildings should severe weather approach.
“We have an all encompassing PA system so we can watch the weather from various locations on the grounds and if necessary make an announcement to direct people to buildings,” Harms said.
He said Westerner Park is one of the few exhibitions that has such a system in place.
Harms said his computer is constantly on during Westerner Days, monitoring Environment Canada and the Weather Network.
“Everyone here checks the weather,” he added.
jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com