Break in heat for Okanagan, back to seasonal normals

OKANAGAN – After nearly three weeks of temperatures exceeding 30 Celsius almost every day, we are finally seeing cooler temperatures, some rain and less smoke.

This weekend, the heat wave finally broke with temperatures closer to seasonal normals of 27 C on both days, and Environment Canada is calling for high temperatures to remain a little closer to normal this week, ranging from highs of 23 C to 28 C throughout the region.

The cooler temperatures are set to come with at least a chance of showers most days this week, along with a risk of thunderstorms today, July 13. The weather office is also calling for a risk of thunderstorms tomorrow, July 14, in the South Okanagan.

A nearly week-long smoky skies advisory ended this morning after the skies cleared somewhat following a bit of rain over the weekend.

Only a trace amount was recorded at the Kamloops Airport and less than 4 mm at the Kelowna airport, but in the southern areas such as Penticton, nearly 17 millimetres of rain was recorded at the federal weather station.

B.C. Air Quality is calling for the air quality healthy index to remain low today throughout the region and much of the province.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 11:07 a.m., July 13, 2015, to say the smoky skies advisory has ended.