High River Online/Kevin Wallace
Southern Alberta is due for some heavy rain this weekend, including in Foothills County.
"What we're expecting this weekend is a cool and soggy one across much of Southern Alberta, including the Okotoks area," said Christy Climenhaga, a scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. "Rain [will] begin through the day on Friday and really not let up through almost the entirety of the weekend. By Sunday evening, things should start to ease up, and you'll start to see some relief."
The system, which Climenhaga said is developing just south of the Canada-U.S. border, is expected to bring more rainfall than is typical for a single storm.
"It's a little early to say, to pin down exactly how much we'll get in the area, but our models are indicating that this will probably be a more significant rainfall event for the region. We're going to expect more rain than we would typically see in a storm and potentially some heavier amounts across southern Alberta."
Along with steady rain, there’s potential for stronger wind gusts later in the weekend.
"Our models are a little bit divided on just how strong those winds could be, but there is the potential for some really gusty winds towards the end of the weekend," Climenhaga said.
She encourages people with outdoor plans to monitor local forecasts closely. "As we get closer to the weekend, the potential for some alerts with this could come out,” she said. “Just keep an eye on your watches and warnings… and on any alerts coming up from your area."
You can always find the latest local forecast on our weather page.