Hot weather heading for Okanagan

The Okanagan and B.C. Interior is about to get its first heat wave of the summer.

Environment Canada is forecasting daytime temperatures in the low to mid-30s and overnight lows in the mid-teens this weekend and lasting into the next week.

The weather agency said the North, Central and South Okanagan will see the mercury climb into the upper 20s Saturday, and then pass the 30-degree mark in the following days.

The elevated temperatures will increase the risk of heat-related illnesses, and the public is encouraged to take steps to prevent adverse reactions.

The heat wave will also see the freezing levels rise, leading to increased snowmelt and snowpack instability. As this can create a risk of localized flooding, Okanagan residents are urged to prepare themselves and their properties for flood events.

A cooler air mass is expected to make its way into the region in the middle of next week, bringing the temperatures down to near-normal values.

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