Dry today, but more showers and thunderstorms on the horizon

Clouds hang over downtown Edmonton in this aerial photo taken over the North Saskatchewan River valley. (Cam Wiebe / CTV News Edmonton)

After three days of rain, we’ll get a brief break from precipitation in the Edmonton area today.

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There’s a shower/thunderstorm risk in western Alberta later today and in east-central Alberta. But, in the Edmonton region, we should see the sun break through the clouds.

How much clearing we get will help determine just how high temperatures climb this afternoon. I think we’ll probably end up at 17 or 18 C.

Thursday/Friday look to be right around 20 for highs, but that’ll depend on the timing of some afternoon and/or evening showers and thunderstorms.

A trough of low pressure will sweep in from the west on Thursday and bring a lengthy band of showers and thunderstorms almost all the way from north to south across the province.

Friday: an area of low pressure develops over the Calgary region and that’ll set off some more showers and thunderstorms across central and north-central Alberta.

Those could hit the Edmonton area any time in the afternoon and/or evening hours.

The weekend pattern is still highly uncertain, but I’m keeping a good chance of showers or periods of rain in the forecast for both days.

At this point... late Saturday and early Sunday look to be the most-likely timeframe. I’m fairly confident we’ll see some precipitation Saturday/Sunday, it’s the timing that I’m less confident in.

Temperatures will drop back to the mid-teens for afternoon highs.

Warmer air remains on track to settle in over the area next week with daytime highs forecast to be in the low 20s.

Here’s the forecast for Edmonton and area:

Today - Mix of sun & cloud.

High: 17

Tonight - Partly cloudy.

9pm: 15

Thursday - Partly cloudy in the morning. Cloudy with a 60% chance of showers or a thunderstorm in the afternoon.

Morning Low: 10

Afternoon High: 19

Friday - Mix of sun & cloud. 60% chance of afternoon showers or a late-day thunderstorm.

Morning Low: 10

Afternoon High: 19

Saturday - Mix of sun & cloud. 60% chance of afternoon and evening showers/periods of rain.

Morning Low: 9

Afternoon High: 17

Sunday - Mostly cloudy. 60% chance of showers or periods of rain.

Morning Low: 9

Afternoon High: 16

Monday - Partly cloudy.

Morning Low: 8

Afternoon High: 21