EDMONTON -- Temperatures will climb into the mid 20s in Edmonton today after "only" getting to 22 C on Wednesday.

That'll be our last day of "average" temperatures for a while. Starting today and through the rest of the month, daytime highs will be above average.

This will be a lengthy period of hot and dry weather and we'll like see a heat warning issued for the ENTIRE PROVINCE either later today or Friday.

Some of you will love the sunny, hot conditions. But, for many others, this will be a dangerous week as people struggle to find ways to stay cool.

It won't just be hot during the day, morning lows probably won't get below 17 or 18 C. So, there just won't be much relief.

We'll have stories on our website and during our newscasts in the coming days about ways to "beat the heat."

Now's the time to start planning for how you'll deal with a week-long heat wave.


And, yes, this will LEGITIMATELY be a heat wave.


Here's how it'll begin:

Daytime highs in Edmonton climb to the upper 20s Friday (27-30 C range).

Saturday's high get to the 28 to 31 C range.

Sunday-Wednesday are IN the 30s with the question being - is it low 30s or mid 30s for daytime highs?

We'll also have to keep an eye on the humidity. There are some models projecting dewpoints in the 12 to 16 degree range early next week.

That could push the humidex to "feeling" like 40 C in parts of central and north-central Alberta.


When will it end?

We're not sure.

This morning's model runs are extending the 30+ highs through Canada Day and right into the end of next week.

That would be extremely rare for it to last this long. But, this is ALREADY shaping up to an extremely rare event. So...why would the length be any different?


If you're curious about record highs, I'll write up a more extensive story about them later today.

But, we're looking at Friday-Wednesday as the days with the best chance to be record-setters.



Here's the forecast for Edmonton:


Today - Partly cloudy this morning. Sunny with a few clouds this afternoon.

High: 25


Tonight - A few clouds.

9PM: 22


Friday - Sunny with a few clouds.

RECORD: 30.0 -1912

Morning Low: 16

Afternoon High: 29


Saturday - Mainly sunny.

RECORD: 34.9 -2002

Morning Low: 17

Afternoon High: 30


Sunday - Mainly sunny.

RECORD: 33.3 -2002

Morning Low: 18

Afternoon High: 32


Monday - Mainly sunny.

RECORD: 32.2 -2015

Morning Low: 18

Afternoon High: 34


Tuesday - Mainly sunny.

RECORD: 37.2 -1937

Morning Low: 19

Afternoon High: 34