Updated Saturday, June 18th at 8:20 a.m. - We’re still on track for what’s looking to be a very hot and humid weekend, with a good chance of setting new records on Sunday.
Environment Canada has issued Heat Warnings for essentially all of Southern Manitoba.
"Hot and humid, indeed," said CMOS Accredited Weathercaster Chris Sumner. "The hottest days of the Summer, and year, are on the way between now and Monday, with the warmest and most humid day looking like Sunday. A ridge of high pressure is pushing northward Friday out of the U.S., and once it establishes, it will encompass most of the Prairies and central United States. The thermostat starts to turn up today, as we see highs in the 25 to 27 range under a sunny sky, but the real cookers are on tap for Sunday and Monday."
Sumner noted a very strong southeasterly flow will develop tomorrow, with wind gusts in the Red River Valley and Southeastern Manitoba reaching 70 km/h in the afternoon, and up to 50 km/h for western parts of the provinces.
"Those windy conditions are ushering in the very hot and moist air-mass that will set up Sunday and Monday for the hottest days of the year," he said. "Saturday will be windy and warm, pushing 29 to 32, with it feeling quite humid in Westman, potentially closer to 40, but not quite as muggy further east. Sunday and Monday, highs across Southern Manitoba will range from 34 to 37, and it will feel like the mid 40s both days as that hot, humid airmass really settles in."
Heat Warnings are issued in Southern Manitoba when two or more consecutive days of daytime maximum temperatures are expected to reach 32°C, or warmer, and nighttime minimum temperatures are expected to fall to 16°C or warmer, or when two or more consecutive days of humidex values are expected to reach 38 or higher.
And are we talking record setting weather on Sunday and Monday? Potentially. The following are the current record daytime temperatures in the respective communities listed as per Environment Canada.
Brandon
June 19th – 35.6 (1911)
June 20th – 38.9 (1910)
Gretna
June 19th – 30.6 (1966)
June 20th – 34.4 (1995)
Morden
June 19th – 34.0 (1986)
June 20th – 35.0 (1938)
Steinbach
June 19th – 32.0 (1995)
June 20th – 33.5 (1995)
Winnipeg
June 19th – 32.6 (1986,1995)
June 20th – 34.7 (1995)
"We’ll see an end to the really hot and humid weather come Tuesday next week as a low pressure system moves through the province, and brings a cold front with it," added Sumner. "That cold front will put an end to the humidity, and also slide temperatures back to slightly above seasonal, rather than nearly ten degrees above. We’re looking at mainly sunny conditions for the first half of next week, and highs Tuesday through Thursday between 25 to 28."
Sumner is also keeping an eye on the severe thunderstorm potential for Monday afternoon and evening.
"With that cold front cutting into the hot, humid airmass in place, there will be potential for a storm development."