‘Summer-like conditions’: Temps could soar to 30°C in Kelowna this weekend

Alyssa Charbonneau says it’s not unprecedented heat for May, but it’s certainly well above the seasonal average.

The Environment Canada meteorologist says temperatures are expected to soar in Kelowna this week as a ridge of high pressure builds over the southern part of British Columbia.

According to Charbonneau, it will bring “summer-like conditions” to the Okanagan, with temperatures expected to be between 8-12°C above normal for this time of year.

“We’ve been seeing relatively cool weather, so it’s going to be a big shift,” she told KelownaNow.

It will start to warm up on Wednesday, but the real noticeable heat will arrive on Friday, just in time for the weekend, and culminate with a potential high of 30°C on Saturday.

Of course, predicting the weather isn’t an exact science and it’s still five days out, but Charbonneau says there is a lot of confidence that heat at least near 30°C is coming.

There is a little less certainty in the forecast for Monday and beyond, which means the heat could stick around through the weekend, but it is expected to cool down at some point next week.

According to Charbonneau, the projected highs are not quite matching daily temperature records for Kelowna, but records are at risk of falling in Vernon and Penticton.

Relatively cool temperatures are still expected at night, with lows around 10°C projected, which Charbonneau says will help people recover from the hot daytime weather.

She encourages people to take all the usual precautions that come with summer-like heat, which means plenty of fluid and slapping on some sunscreen if you’re spending time outdoors.