Hot enough for you? Alberta sets 20 new heat records

Hot weather creates more wildfire risk. Jodi Hughes has a look at the five-day forecast from the Sky Watch Weather Centre.

A strong ridge of high pressure pushed temperatures across Alberta into the high 20s and low 30s on Thursday before a brief period of instability linked to a frontal system later in the day.

Fort Chipewyan was the hot spot in the country reaching a high of 34.7 C.

In total, 20 communities in Alberta set new daily highs on Thursday, including Calgary (30.9 C), Claresholm (32.7 C), Edmonton (32.7 C), Pincher Creek (30.7) and Red Deer (29.5 C).

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As of 6 a.m. on Friday, the heat warnings for the province were dropped due to slightly cooler (but still above seasonal) temperatures forecast for Friday and Saturday.

Widespread weather advisories linked to air quality were issued early Friday.

As expected, wildfire activity has increased over the past 24-hours, and smoke from fires in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba was spreading across the prairies.

In Calgary, the daytime high on Friday should reach 27 C, compared to the average high of 18 C.

The UV Index on Friday in Calgary is 9, or very high, and with a stable pattern reemerging it will be sunny and clear.

This upper pattern will finally start to break down late Saturday, kicking off at least a week of temperatures that are at or below seasonal values.

Strong wind will likely precede this change late on Saturday and light rain is possible in Calgary later Saturday night and on Sunday.