Temperatures continue to climb across southern Manitoba on Wednesday in anticipation of a scorching, potentially stormy back-half of the week. Much of southern Manitoba can expect clear sunny skies, light winds and seasonal highs in the mid to upper-twenties. Meanwhile, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has expanded yellow air quality warnings that initiated from the ongoing wildfires in Lynn Lake to areas further to the southeast, including Flin Flon, Thompson and Norway House. The weather agency said winds are expected to stay light and will likely not clear the smoke on Wednesday. Additionally, clear skies with very warm and dry surface conditions are expected to lead to another round of flare ups, meaning air quality could degrade in the region even further. Temperatures through much of the north will be hot—peaking in the upper twenties. Though smoke is not likely to drift to the south, forecasts for that neck of the woods are not exactly banal, either. While southwestern Manitoba, the Parkland and the Red River Valley will deal with warm, pleasant and generally unremarkable conditions on Wednesday night, a surface low that’s tracking through southern Saskatchewan is expected to push into western Manitoba by Thursday morning. It brings the risk of rain and thunderstorm activity to the Parkland, extending as far north as The Pas, Flin Flon and Lynn Lake—an area that could sorely use the precipitation to aid in the wildfire fight, though not the potential convection. Brandon and Neepawa could also get doused Thursday, though the chances are a bit slimmer. Winnipeg and the surrounding Red River Valley are expected to stay dry under mainly sunny skies as temperatures climb. An above-seasonal high of 28 C is expected in Winnipeg alongside moderate southerly winds. Still, that low looks to move into Winnipeg and surrounding south-central regions overnight Thursday and into Friday, bringing a strong likelihood of showers or rain for those Winnipeg Folk Festival campers at Birds Hill Provincial Park. Mother Nature changes her tune heading into the weekend. Temperatures are expected to soar through the weekend, cracking the 30 C mark by Saturday under clear, sunny skies, meaning Folkies should prepare for adverse heat through the remainder of the festival.
