Hinton, Alberta residents should keep an umbrella handy this week, with Environment Canada calling for a mix of sun, cloud, and a chance of thunderstorms starting Tuesday afternoon. The unsettled weather is expected to linger through the weekend, with the highest rain chances on Saturday and Sunday.
Tuesday, July 28, brings a 60 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms this afternoon, with winds becoming southwest at 20 km/h and gusting to 40 km/h. The daytime high will reach 19 C.
A break in the wet weather comes Wednesday, July 29, with mainly sunny skies and a high of 19 C. The UV index is forecast at 6, which is considered high, so sunscreen is recommended if heading outdoors. However, the clear conditions are short-lived; Thursday will see increasing cloudiness but no precipitation is expected until Friday night, when there is a 30 percent chance of showers. Showers then become more likely through the weekend.
Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2, both carry a 70 percent chance of showers. Saturday’s high will be near 19 C, while Sunday will be cooler at 14 C. Overnight lows will vary, with Wednesday night dipping to 6 C while other nights stay between 7 C and 10 C.
This week’s forecast follows a pattern of active summer weather across Alberta. Edmonton, about 300 km east of Hinton, has seen record rainfall this summer with 503.7 mm by late July, surpassing the previous record of 417.1 mm set in 1953. Severe storms have caused $230 million in insured damages in Edmonton since May, including a July 25-26 thunderstorm that forced 31,000 concertgoers to shelter at Commonwealth Stadium and cancelled a major show.
July is typically among Hinton’s wettest months, averaging 117 mm of rain, and the area averages approximately 40 days with lightning each year, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada data. Environment Canada reminds residents that lightning kills about 10 Canadians annually, more than hail, rain, flooding, wind, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined. When thunder roars, go indoors.
