Four things you need to know about Wednesday, August 20
Digital Reporter
Wednesday, August 20, 2014, 7:34 AM - Wondering what you missed overnight or what you can expect for the day ahead?
Here's your weather briefing for Wednesday, August 20.
1. Rain showers linger across Newfoundland
As conditions continue to improve in the Maritimes, rain showers are lingering across parts of Newfoundland Wednesday.
According to Weather Network meteorologist Matt Grinter, the rain will linger in some form for most of the week over the island.
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An additional 15-25 mm of rain is forecast in some areas through Thursday.
2. Heat and humidity builds into Ontario, widespread thunderstorm risk
Storms fired up across parts of Ontario Tuesday, prompting severe thunderstorm watches and warnings for areas in the southwest.
Weather Network meteorologist and Storm Hunter Mark Robinson was out in the thick of the storms when he captured this amazing shelf cloud near Sarnia.
Holy cow! Near Sarnia pic.twitter.com/4h5ZBmoswT
— Mark Robinson (@StormhunterTWN) August 19, 2014
The thunderstorm risk continues on Wednesday, with isolated severe storms possible through the afternoon and evening hours.
Up to 30 mm of rain is forecast in the hardest hit places, with locally higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Rising heat and humidity will also give parts of the province a break from the autumn-like weather.
"Most areas will not see true summer heat however," says Weather Network meteorologist Dr. Doug Gillham. "The increasing humidity will make it feel muggier and keep overnight temperatures from dropping off, but clouds and scattered showers and thunderstorms will also limit how warm it can get during the day."
PATTERN CHANGE: Dr. Doug Gillham provides a detailed analysis of the weather for the end of August.
3. Thunderstorm risk continues across the Prairies
Severe thunderstorm watches and warnings also covered parts of the Prairies Tuesday, where dime-sized hail, strong winds and frequent lightning were reported across both Alberta and Saskatchewan.
All watches and warnings ended Tuesday night, but thunderstorms continued to light up the night sky across Saskatchewan early Wednesday.
Thunderstorms are expected to re-develop Wednesday afternoon with potentially severe storms expected along the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border.
4. Heat hangs on in B.C.
So far, August has featured above seasonal temperatures for most of western Canada and a "warm ending to August is expected for much of British Columbia," Gillham says.
It's been exceptionally hot in a couple of communities including Kamloops, which has seen 38 days with temperatures above 30°C since May. In Osoyoos, there's been over 45 days of 30 degree weather or warmer.
While the extreme heat has been great for beach goers, it has kept fire crews on high alert.
Wildfire smoke advisories are still in place for portions of Central and Northern B.C.
"Smoke concentrations will vary widely as winds and fire behaviour change," the statement reads.
Persons with chronic underlying medical conditions should postpone strenuous exercise until the advisory is lifted, officials warn.
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