Okanagan, Kamloops in for some heat with a dash of lightning

Meteorologists are anticipating some risky forest fire conditions in the Okanagan and Kamloops this week as the weather heats up.

Temperatures are expected to stay around the mid-30s in the region for the foreseeable future with some thunder and lighting risk towards the end of the week.

“Generally speaking with the lightning and kind of the dry conditions, especially in the southwest Interior, it’s not a great scenario,” Environment Canada meteorologist Bobby Sekhon told iNFOnews.ca.

Sekhon said the chance of thunderstorms is coming around Friday, but he isn’t sure yet how severe it will be or which areas are most likely to be affected.

“It’s going to be something to keep an eye on for in your forecast,” he said.

Even though daily high temperatures are likely going to be around 35 Celsius for the majority of this week in Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon, it isn’t hot enough for a heat wave or heat warning designation.

“We’ll be keeping a close eye on things just in case those numbers creep up, but as far as the present moment goes, we’re not seeing it quite reach the heat warning criteria,” Sekhon said.

It could be worse.

In eastern Canada temperatures are soaring in a heat wave and the humidex could push temperatures to as high as 45 C in some areas of Ontario and Quebec.