Spring mix of weather expected in Okanagan this week

Okanagan residents can expect a mix of weather conditions this week with sunshine, clouds, showers and even thundershowers a possibility. It should stay warm, however, with daytime high temperatures expected to reach the upper teens to low 20s.

Weather conditions were a marked contrast across the country this past weekend, with British Columbia seeing record-breaking heat along the coast and a pleasant warm weekend in the Interior, while parts of eastern Canada and the prairies suffered record-breaking cold and measurable snowfall.

Lytton, in the B.C. Interior, reached a high of 30.1 C on yesterday, May 10, while in Victoria the mercury made it to 27 C, Environment Canada's weather summery indicates. Record daily highs were also set yesterday in Abbotsford (29 C), Hope (30.2 C), Prince Rupert (24.4 C), White Rock (29.1 C) and Haines Junction (23 C).

In Ontario, however, record breaking cold temperatures were recorded as the province was enveloped in a polar vortex that saw as much as 16 centimetres of snow in Barrie, Ontario, according to a Weather Network report.

Toronto set a new low temperature daily record for May 9 with a temperature of -4.7 C, which is second coldest May temperature on record as well. Eight other daily records were broken in Ontario, which is expected to see a gradual warming trend as the week progresses.

For the Okanagan, Environment Canada says the valley should see a mainly sunny day today, May 11, with north winds at 20 km/h becoming light tonight. Today’s high should reach 22 C, with a low of 8 C tonight.

Tuesday’s high should reach 20 C in Vernon, 19 C in Kelowna, and 18 C in Penticton, with a low to 8 C in all three cities. There is a risk of a thunderstorm late in the afternoon.

There is a 30 per cent possibility of showers Wednesday along with a mix of sun and cloud, a high of 21 C and a low of 9 C.

The possibility of showers continues into Thursday at 40 per cent under mainly cloudy skies with a high of 19 C and a low of 9 C.

The end of the week comes with a mix of sun and cloud and a high of 22 C on Friday, along with a low of 9 C.

Saturday’s weather is expected to be similar, with a mix of sun and cloud, a high of 22 C and a low of 11 C, with clouds rolling in Saturday night.

Sunday looks cloudy at this point, with a high of 19 C along with a 60 per cent possibility of showers.

Normal temperatures at this time of year in the Okanagan are highs of 19 C and lows of 6 C.

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