Extreme weather contrast for Canada's August long weekend
A hot and parched western half of the country will be balanced against a more temperate and somewhat unsettled east.
As many across Canada look forward to an extended weekend to kick off the month of August, the atmosphere is primed to deliver a period of extreme contrast thanks to an amplified jet stream pattern.
This will leave some areas baking in hot and dry conditions, while others will be reminded that the turn to fall is not far away.
Read on for a more detailed look at what we know about the coming long weekend.
WESTERN CANADA: HOT AND PARCHED PRAIRIES, SHOWERS FOR B.C.
Most people hope for dry weather and sunny skies for a nice long weekend, and if you live in the western half of the country, that wish will mostly be granted – perhaps more literally than you'd like.
The Prairie region looks set to bake beneath a potent ridge of high pressure, keeping the skies clear and active weather out of the region – not the greatest news for farmers and crews battling the West's numerous wildfires.
Temperatures will be on the high side as well, a little above or below 30°C across the board, even stretching into the territories, though parts of western Alberta and southern Manitoba will be on the lower end of that scale.
These temperatures won't be at the same kind of extremes that we saw earlier this season, but they'll still be uncomfortable for many.
As for the Interior of B.C., they'll be the hottest region in Canada Saturday, with temperatures in the mid-to-high 30s, falling back somewhat for the rest of the weekend.
There's some promising news for that part of the country as well: a trough pushing into B.C. may deliver some showers for the later part of the long weekend.
The caveat, however, is that it's several days out, and as such, it's uncertain whether that moisture will make it into southern parts of the province, including Vancouver, which is experiencing its longest stretch of consecutive rain-free days on record.
EASTERN CANADA: COOLER AND UNSETTLED
The eastern half of the country has had its bouts with extreme or uncomfortable heat, and for those who long for more temperate days, the long weekend has a lot to like.
Southwestern and northwestern Ontario will be the warmest parts of the region, and even there, daytime highs won't quite make it to the mid-20s except for Saturday. The rest of eastern Canada, from Ontario to the Atlantic, will see daytime highs at or a bit above 20°C for most of the long weekend. Even Newfoundland, more often than not the odd man out in terms of summer heat, won't dip too far below that mark.
In fact, the rollback of the latest round of hot conditions might leave parts of the region feeling more like late September than early August.
For those appreciative of these kinds of temperatures, however, the weekend will be marred by some unsettled conditions, including an active storm track on the periphery of a trough that's set to roll through the region.
What that means in practice is that most of the region will see at least a passing shower, though with enough stretches of dry weather to avoid a washout situation.
The long weekend is, however, several days away yet, so it's best to check back here often as we continue to refine the forecast.
