Overnight rains lowers fire danger risk in central Alberta

Steady precipitation fell over portions of southern British Columbia and central Alberta overnight and early Thursday, briefly prompting a special weather statement for some higher elevation highways in the B.C. interior.

The good news is that rain helped to rapidly lower the fire danger risk for areas along the northern foothills and central Alberta, with some areas reporting a low risk as of 7 a.m. Thursday compared to a very high or extreme risk Wednesday.

The bad news is that not all areas in central and southern Alberta are expecting rain Thursday, so many communities remain under those higher risk assessments.

Warmer weather coming in behind that trailing cold front will push temperatures back up for the end of the week and the start of the weekend in southern Alberta, with a quick change likely to initiate late Sunday.

A deep and narrow trough is expecting to set up along the Pacific coast over the weekend, providing enhanced support for heavy precipitation in the exit region in southern B.C. and southwestern Alberta.

In Calgary, rain is likely to start late Sunday with the potential for 15 to 20 millimetres on Monday alone.

Temperatures will also drop about eight degrees from Sunday to Monday, before a gradual recovery back to seasonal temperatures throughout next week.