Heat warnings expanded with highs in the 30s for most of Alberta

Clear Thursday, but risk of storms in the foothills. Jodi Hughes has a look at the five-day forecast from the Sky Watch Weather Centre.

A dominant ridge of high pressure remains the main weather-maker for the western portion of Canada.

Widespread heat warnings have been issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada including in Red Deer, Drumheller, Brooks, Edmonton, as well as the B.C. interior, northern B.C., the Northwest Territories, north-central Saskatchewan and the west-central border of Manitoba.

Calgary will see warmer than average temperatures for the end of the week but is not included in those heat warnings since temperatures are expected to remain below the local warning threshold criteria of a daytime high of at least 29 C plus a low of at least 14 C for at least two consecutive days.

Similar to Wednesday, clouds will build along the foothills again Thursday and there is a risk of isolated thunderstorms in that area.

If these storms do develop, they are likely to be slow-moving and could produce pockets of intense rainfall.

Also similar to Wednesday, any potential thunderstorms that build in the west on Thursday are unlikely to track as far east as Calgary.

The air quality in Calgary may deteriorate later Thursday and Friday as the clockwise circulation around the high picks up wildfire smoke from Saskatchewan and brings it in along the southern border of Alberta.

On Friday, that ridge should start to flatten and make room for the edge of the Pacific low-pressure system to enter B.C.

Rain is likely throughout southern B.C. on Saturday and possible in southern Alberta later that day.

By Sunday scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected across southern Alberta, including Calgary.

Daytime highs will moderate for the end of the weekend and sit around seasonal values most of next week.