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Portage residents are in for a hot and sunny weekend, says meteorologist Crawford Luke with Environment Canada.
Luke notes that the warming trend the region has seen over the past few days continues through Sunday.
“Starting today and certainly through Sunday, basically looking at sunny conditions and temperatures getting around 30 degrees, 31 degrees,” he says.
Monday starts dry, he adds, but a cold front arriving later in the afternoon or evening may bring showers and thunderstorms. Winds remain light over the weekend, with some breeze possible Sunday and Monday.
Detailed weekend forecast
According to Luke, Friday in Portage begins sunny, becoming a mix of sun and cloud in the afternoon, with a high of 30 and a humidex of 34.
“It’s basically hot and sunny until that cold front comes through later in the afternoon or in the evening on Monday,” he notes. Friday night is expected to be partly cloudy before clearing, with a low near 14.
Saturday promises more sun with a high of 31 and humidex 36, followed by clear skies at night with a low of 14. Sunday is sunny with a high of 30, and cloudy periods develop overnight with a low near 16. Monday sees a mix of sun and cloud with a 30 percent chance of showers and a high of 27.
Luke adds that Monday night could bring cloudy skies with a 60 percent chance of showers and a low of 13.
CLICK HERE FOR THE KITSON'S TOWING FORECAST
August rainfall well above average
Luke remarks that rainfall so far this August has already exceeded the monthly norm.
“We’re at 116 millimeters at our gauge there, which is actually more than twice the normal amount for August,” he says.
Typically, the area sees about 51 millimeters of rain in August.
Luke continues, “Temperatures are pretty close to where they normally should be for this time of year… it’s actually 0.3 degrees warmer than the long-term normal.”
Local rainfall varies significantly
Luke mentions that thunderstorms can produce highly uneven rainfall.
“More than anything, it just shows, especially with thunderstorms, how there can be just such a wild variation in rainfall amounts over short distances, really,” he says.
While the official Portage gauge shows 116 millimeters, other stations recorded totals of 180 to 230 millimeters, particularly northeast of the city. He adds that one storm alone contributed around 100 millimeters in some areas.
He also explains that volunteer-run networks, like the CoCoRaHS website, provide supplemental rainfall data.
“It’s this volunteer, basically just people who volunteer to check their rain gauge every morning and submit it to this website,” Luke says.
These stations help capture localized storms that official gauges may miss.
Looking ahead: cooler days possible
Luke notes that after Monday’s cold front, temperatures could drop sharply.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some frosty mornings in the area next week… temperatures might be getting to the low single digits,” he says.
He adds that the cool spell may last a few days, but temperatures should gradually warm up afterward.
For residents and local gardeners, monitoring local forecasts is crucial, Luke continues, especially for frost-sensitive plants.
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