Medicine Hat weather: Sunny and windy Thursday, highs 13 C

Southeastern Alberta is in for a sunny but breezy Thursday, according to Environment Canada. Westerly winds gusting to 50 km/h are expected to develop through the morning across most of the region as a south wind shifts west, with highs ranging from 13 C near Medicine Hat and Brooks to 14 C in the Cypress Hills. The mild pattern holds through the weekend, with temperatures climbing to 15 or 16 C by Saturday.

Medicine Hat and Redcliff

At 6 a.m. at the Medicine Hat airport, skies were clear and the temperature was minus 3.3 C, with a wind chill of minus 5 and a west-northwest wind of 3 km/h. Environment Canada calls for a mainly sunny Thursday, with a south wind of 20 km/h shifting to west 30 gusting to 50 through the morning and a high of 13 C. UV index is 2 or low. Thursday night brings partly cloudy skies clearing by evening, a west wind of 30 km/h gusting to 50 and a low of zero.

Irvine

At 6 a.m. at the Irvine station, the temperature was 1.3 C with an east wind of 9 km/h and humidity at 77 per cent. Environment Canada expects a mainly sunny Thursday, with winds shifting from south 20 km/h to west 30 gusting to 50 this morning and a high of 13 C. The UV index is 2 or low. Thursday night will be partly cloudy before clearing, with a west wind of 30 km/h gusting to 50 persisting and a low near zero.

Bow Island

At 6 a.m. at the Bow Island Climate station, the temperature was minus 0.2 C with a wind chill of minus 5 and a south-southeast wind at 20 km/h. Environment Canada calls for sun giving way to a mix of sun and cloud this afternoon, a south wind of 20 km/h becoming west 30 gusting to 50 this morning, and a high of 13 C. UV index is 2 or low. Expect partly cloudy skies Thursday night, clearing by evening, with a west wind of 30 km/h gusting to 50 and a low of zero.

Elkwater and Cypress Hills

At 6 a.m. at Lodge Creek, the temperature was minus 4.4 C with a wind chill of minus 6, humidity at 96 per cent and a west-northwest wind at 3 km/h. Environment Canada forecasts a mainly sunny Thursday with a wind chill of minus 12 this morning, a southeast wind of 20 km/h becoming west 30 gusting to 50 near noon, and a high of 14 C. UV index is 2 or low. Thursday night will be partly cloudy clearing by evening, with a west wind of 30 gusting to 50, a wind chill of minus 8 overnight and a low of minus 2.

Brooks

At 6 a.m. at the Brooks station, the temperature was minus 2.8 C with a wind chill of minus 7, humidity at 95 per cent and a south wind at 11 km/h. Environment Canada calls for sun and increasing cloudiness early in the afternoon, with fog patches dissipating this morning. A west wind of 20 km/h gusting to 40 is expected, with gusts to 60 over southern sections this afternoon. Wind chill of minus 9 is forecast this morning. High of 13 C and a UV index of 1 or low. Thursday night clears late, with a west wind shifting to southwest 20 km/h overnight, a wind chill of minus 8 and a low of minus 2.

Outlook

Environment Canada is calling for sunny skies Friday across southeastern Alberta, with southwest winds of 20 km/h building to 40 gusting to 60 through the morning and highs of 14 C in Medicine Hat, Redcliff, Irvine, Bow Island and the Cypress Hills, and 16 C in Brooks. Friday night lows range from plus 5 in Brooks to plus 7 in the Cypress Hills and 8 C in Medicine Hat and Irvine, with a breezy night expected. Saturday brings more sunshine and the warmest readings of the stretch — highs of 15 to 16 C — before cloudy periods return Saturday night with lows near 4 to 8 C.

Forecasts and observations from Environment Canada.