BC & Alberta's Weather Forecast Warns Of A 'Sudden Summer' & There Are Already Wildfires

The weather has been soaring in B.C. and Alberta over the last few days and while the sun is bringing a welcome break from winter, the "sudden summer" is also causing wildfires and the risk of thunderstorms across western Canada.

The latest forecast from The Weather Network says that temperatures across the two provinces are jumping up to the mid-20s and some spots could even reach 30 degrees over the next few days.

While many will be celebrating the sun, the "warm and dry" conditions across western Canada could be bad news for wildfires and there's also a risk for severe thunderstorms in some areas.

Atmospheric triggers for thunderstorms will be happening due to an upper ridge breaking down across the provinces while "several mid-level troughs" make their way across too. The daytime heat and instability will also be building.

On Tuesday, May 2, the Southern Interior of B.C., the Alberta foothills and the Elbow Valley could potentially see isolated thunderstorms but they aren't likely to be widespread.

From Wednesday onwards the central and southern Interior of B.C. towards the Rockies and the foothills, and central and western parts of Alberta, there could be "scattered, multi-day thunderstorms" but it isn't known how strong or severe these will be.

"The ignition of new wildfires is top of mind and a main concern over the coming days," TWN said.

Parts of Alberta are already seeing wildfires develop, with areas to the west of Edmonton under evacuation orders and evacuation alerts have also been issued for parts of B.C. too.

In Alberta, TWN warned that the rising temperatures and dry conditions will worsen the situation in the days and weeks ahead as it gets towards the peak wildfire season.

The fire danger rating in a lot of southern Alberta is very high to extreme and this could be made more dangerous by gusty winds.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.