Maritimes treated to summer heat while parts of Canada could use some rain

CTV Atlantic meteorologist Kalin Mitchell says there is summer-like warmth in the Maritimes while parts of the Prairies are hot and smoky.

While the Maritime provinces bask in a couple of very warm, late spring days, a building ridge of heat in the Prairies is exasperating the situation when it comes to wildfire smoke.

The heat

A large, sprawling area of high pressure is contributing to very sunny and warm weather stretching from Saskatchewan, across Northern Ontario, Quebec, and into the Maritimes.

Two plumes of warmer air are also building into parts of the country out of the United States: One up the eastern seaboard boosting temperatures in the Maritimes, and a second out of the southwestern U.S. and into the Prairies, triggering heat warnings in Alberta.

Heat warnings in Alberta continue into Thursday before cooling a few degrees for Friday.

In the Maritimes, widespread high temperatures in the mid-to-high 20s are expected on Wednesday. Temperatures may cool just a few degrees for Thursday as some cloud cover increases from the west.

The smoke

There are numerous large, smoke-producing wildfires burning in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba. High pressure can act as a lid, reducing ventilation of the smoke and keeping it closer to the surface.

Numerous air quality alerts and warnings are in effect for parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northern Ontario. A movement southward with the smoke is expected Thursday before it meanders back to the north on Friday.

High resolution satellite image shows that some of the smoke has made it higher in the atmosphere and is cresting around the ridge of high pressure. That is bringing it across parts of northern Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. Some trace amount of smoke may move into the Maritime region Wednesday but will be located high enough not to impact air quality.

What’s ahead

There’s much relief in the forecast heading into the weekend for the Prairies.

The ridge of heat will continue to drive peak summer-like temperatures straight through until Saturday. The ridge is forecast to begin breaking down on Sunday. That should allow for temperatures to fall more significantly in Alberta and northern parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Temperatures will cool in southern areas of Saskatchewan and Manitoba early next week.

Little precipitation is forecast in the vicinity of the wildfires through that period of time.

For the Maritimes, very warm weather carries on into Thursday. The region won’t have to wait as long for a cool down and some wet weather. A low-pressure system passing to the south of Nova Scotia brings scattered showers on Friday. Periods of rain are expected on Saturday with a second low moving in more directly out of the northeastern U.S.