The end of the BC Day weekend will also mark the end of the heatwave for the Okanagan and Thompson regions. Bank Holiday Monday will likely be the last day of this week with temperatures around ten degrees above normal for this time of year. The heat warning issued last week is expected to be lifted by Environment Canada on Monday morning. “We are forecasting conditions to be below the heat warning criteria,” said meteorologist Ken Dosanjh. “Conditions will still be anywhere up to five degrees above seasonal. So while it will remain warm, the heat advisory will not be in effect.” Monday’s highs will range from 34C in the North and Central Okanagan to 35C in Kamloops and 37C in the Osoyoos area. Tuesday and Wednesday will still be in the 30s, but just barely. “Going into the middle of the week, that’s when conditions start to loosen up,” explains Dosanjh. “There is a system much further west, somewhat in the Bering Sea, that will eventually reach the Okanagan. Then we’ll start to see, probably Wednesday afternoon, increased cloud cover and more unsettled conditions. “So then we could possibly see some precipitation, as far as rains go,” he said. While the moisture is needed, these showers could also be accompanied by lightning, which increases the risk of starting more fires. Also of concern on Monday are wind gusts of 40 to 50 kilometers per hour in some areas. That could cause problems for firefighters battling blazes, including the Keremeos Creek fire near Mount Apex. Through next weekend, Environment Canada is forecasting mostly clear conditions with daytime highs in the mid 20s to low 30s, pretty much normal for the first week of August.
