Severe storm risk for Canada Day in the Prairies. See where
theweathernetwork.com
Saturday, July 1, 2017, 9:35 AM - While no organized systems will impact the Prairie region - and large stretches of the Prairies will be host to some beautiful Canada Day weather - forecasters are still keeping an eye on the potential for some thunderstorms - including some which may reach severe limits - for the nation's 150th birthday.
See where Mother Nature may provide her own fireworks show, in your forecast details below.
KEEP ON TOP OF ACTIVE WEATHER: Visit the Alerts section of the website
Severe Setup
After a sunny start to the day for most of Alberta thanks to high pressure further east, isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop along the Foothills through the early afternoon, gradually spreading east toward Calgary and Edmonton.
As the ridge of high pressure starts to shift east from British Columbia, a piece of energy - a shortwave trough - will ride down the jet stream from west of the Rockies, helping to support storm development during the afternoon on Saturday.
Storms that do develop have the potential to be supercells, capable of producing heavy downpours and intense lightning. There is also a slight risk of hail, and even an isolated tornado.
Anyone with plans to travel along the QE2 between Edmonton and Calgary should keep a close eye on any developing storms - as well as watches and warnings, should they be issued - during the afternoon and evening hours.
Manitoba and Saskatchewan
Scattered showers will linger across extreme southern and eastern parts of Manitoba through the afternoon, as an upper level low shifts lazily eastward into Ontario. The majority of the province should see at worst a mix of sun and clouds, including Winnipeg and Brandon, with highs just slightly below seasonal, in the low 20s - possibly a welcome respite before the heat really starts to climb next week.
Saskatchewan could be the big winner when it comes to a sunny Canada Day, with high pressure from the north keeping the showers at bay. A shower or two is possible on the western periphery of the high, through central and western portions of the province, but any showers would be light, short-lived, and would likely have little impact on any outdoor activities. Temperatures will be rather cool to start the day but recover to near seasonal by afternoon.
Looking forward
The early week should be hot throughout the Prairies, with widespread high temperatures in excess of 30oC, particularly across the southern tier of the region.
Weather Network Meteorologist Dr. Doug Gillham also cautions more systems could track northeast across central and northern regions, with showers and thunderstorms for places like Fort McMurray, but minimal rain for agricultural regions across the south.
Thumbnail courtesy Kris Mutafov.
Will files from Doug Gillham and Caroline Floyd.