Southeastern Alberta is in for a warm, sunny Thursday, with highs reaching 19 to 22 C across the region, according to Environment Canada. The pleasant conditions are short-lived: a cold system moves in Friday, bringing rain mixed with snow, temperatures dropping to near zero in the afternoon, and northwest winds gusting to 70 or 80 km/h in many areas. Overnight lows will fall below freezing Friday night, with the weekend remaining cold but quieter.

Medicine Hat

At 6 a.m. at the Medicine Hat airport, skies were clear and the temperature was 6.5 C, with a west wind at 8 km/h. Environment Canada is calling for a sunny Thursday with a southwest wind of 20 km/h and a high of 22 C; the UV index will be 2 or low. Thursday night brings partly cloudy skies with a 30 per cent chance of showers overnight and a low of 6 C. Friday turns cloudy with a 30 per cent chance of rain showers in the morning, rain mixed with snow beginning near noon, northwest winds increasing to 50 km/h gusting to 80, and the temperature falling to plus 2 in the afternoon.

Irvine

Irvine recorded 7.9 C at 6 a.m. Thursday with a west-northwest wind at 11 km/h. Environment Canada forecasts a sunny day with a southwest wind of 20 km/h, a high of 22 C and a UV index of 2 or low. Overnight, expect clear skies early then partly cloudy conditions with a 30 per cent chance of showers and a low of 6 C. On Friday, cloud moves in with a 30 per cent chance of rain showers in the morning; rain mixed with snow is expected to begin near noon as a northwest wind increases to 50 km/h gusting to 80, and the temperature falls to plus 2 in the afternoon.

Bow Island

Bow Island's climate station recorded 7.1 C at 6 a.m. Thursday, with a south-southwest wind at 12 km/h and rising pressure at 101.2 kPa. Sunshine and a southwest wind of 20 km/h will bring a high of 22 C Thursday, with a UV index of 2 or low, according to Environment Canada. Thursday night will be clear early then partly cloudy with a 30 per cent chance of showers and a low of 6 C. Friday brings cloud and a 30 per cent chance of rain showers in the morning, rain mixed with snow near noon, northwest winds climbing to 50 km/h gusting to 80, and an afternoon high of plus 2.

Elkwater and Cypress Hills

The Lodge Creek station recorded minus 0.7 C at 6 a.m. Thursday, with a wind chill of minus 5 and a north wind at 12 km/h. A sunny Thursday is ahead, with a southwest wind of 20 km/h becoming light through the morning and a high of 19 C; the UV index will be 2 or low, says Environment Canada. Thursday night will be clear early then partly cloudy, with a 30 per cent chance of showers late evening and after midnight; an east wind of 20 km/h gusting to 40 develops overnight and the low will be 8 C. Friday brings rain near noon mixing with snow by late afternoon, 5 to 10 mm of rainfall, winds gusting to 80 km/h by midday and a high falling to zero in the afternoon.

Brooks

Brooks was at minus 0.4 C at 6 a.m. Thursday, with a wind chill of minus 2, a south-southeast wind at 6 km/h and rising pressure at 101.3 kPa. Environment Canada calls for a mainly sunny day with a west wind of 20 km/h becoming light through the morning and a high of 20 C; the UV index will be 2 or low. Thursday night turns cloudy with a 60 per cent chance of showers, a northwest wind of 20 km/h gusting to 40 developing before morning and a low of plus 3. Friday will be cloudy with a 60 per cent chance of rain showers early in the morning, rain at times mixed with snow through much of the day, 10 to 15 mm of rainfall, northwest winds increasing to 40 km/h gusting to 70, and the temperature holding near plus 3.

Outlook

Friday night will be windy with clearing skies and lows falling to minus 2 to minus 4 across the region. Saturday brings a mix of sun and cloud or some cloudiness returning, with highs of plus 3 to plus 4 C — well below seasonal. Saturday night will be cloudy with lows of minus 3 to minus 4, according to Environment Canada.

Forecasts and observations from Environment Canada.

Share this article
The link has been copied!