Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, will see bright and warm conditions to start the week before a shift to rainy weather arrives Tuesday, according to Environment Canada. Monday is forecast to bring a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 26°C and a UV index of 7, or high. That is about five degrees above the normal daytime high for mid-June, giving residents a chance to enjoy the outdoors before the wet change.
Rain is expected to begin Tuesday morning, with a risk of a thunderstorm. Winds will become northwest at 40 km/h gusting to 60. The rain is forecast to continue through Tuesday night before easing into a mix of sun and cloud on Wednesday, with a more typical high of 19°C and an overnight low of 9°C.
June is normally the wettest month in Fort Saskatchewan, averaging 95 millimetres of rain over about 13 days. The city of roughly 30,575 people sits along the North Saskatchewan River about 25 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. As of Monday morning, the temperature at the Oliver observation station was already 21.3°C with light south winds, and no weather alerts were in effect for the region.
Looking further ahead, Environment Canada calls for a cloudy Thursday with a 60 per cent chance of showers and a high of 15°C, then clearing overnight to a low of 7°C. Friday is forecast to be sunny with a high of 20°C, though more showers may return for the weekend.
While Fort Saskatchewan itself is not under drought warnings, parts of southern Alberta continue to experience severe drought conditions, according to the Canadian Drought Monitor. The rainy pattern is typical for the region at this time of year, and the moisture will be welcome after a dry spring in some areas.
