Colleen Bready's Forecast: Smoke continues in Manitoba
After the smokiest month on record in Winnipeg, August starts off the same way on Friday. In fact, the entire province does.
All of Manitoba is blanketed under widespread smoke, prompting Environment and Climate Change Canada to issue an air quality warning for every region.
The weather agency notes the worst degradation of air quality is in northern Manitoba, closest to wildfires that continue to churn out smoke.
That said, ECCC's air quality health index rates Winnipeg at very high risk for poor air quality Friday afternoon, and forecasts that will last until at least Saturday night.
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Assiniboine Park
Leo Mol Sculpture Garden at the Park.
(Photo by Debbie Ristimaki)
Notre Dame de Lourdes
Beautiful sky after the rain near Notre Dame de Lourdes.
(Photo by Diane Simon)
Smoky conditions have been reported in Brandon Friday morning into early afternoon. However, ECCC assesses the city at moderate risk for poor air quality.
Further east, an air quality warning continues for the northern half of northwestern Ontario, while ECCC has issued a special air quality statement for southern areas, including Kenora.
Back in northern Manitoba, some regions where fires continue to burn are also dealing with increasing heat, thanks to a ridge of high pressure approaching from the west.
ECCC has continued a heat warning for The Pas, Flin Flon and Lynn Lake regions Friday and expanded it to the Thompson region.
Those areas will contend with hot highs close to 30 C and warm overnight lows in the mid-teens over the next couple of days.
Things are heating up in the south, too. Daytime highs will reach the upper 20s with humidex values that feel in the low 30s Friday afternoon, including in Winnipeg. Without the smoke, sky conditions would be sunny.
The August long weekend should serve up more hot highs in the upper 20s in Winnipeg with sunshine or a mix of sun and cloud all three days. Similar conditions are expected in cottage country.
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