File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Wildfire Weather

Forecast calls for wind, little rain as low pressure system enters Kamloops area

Jul 20, 2021 | 4:33 PM

KAMLOOPS — Environment Canada says a low pressure system bringing a change in the weather Tuesday evening (July 20) to Wednesday may not be much help to wildland firefighters.

Forecast Lisa Erven says the system will bring stronger winds.

“As we get into the Wednesday time period, we do have a weather system moving through the province which enhances the potential to see even higher wind gusts — up to 50 kilometres per hour — throughout the day on Wednesday and into the evening hours,” Erven tolls CFJC Today.

“Wednesday looks like the windiest day. It’s associated with that low pressure system moving through. Generally, conditions improving for Thursday so we’ll start to see some of those winds coming down but there’s still the potential for afternoon and early-evening gusts up to 40 kilometres-per-hour on Thursday.”

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth cited the wind forecast as one reason for declaring a State of Emergency Tuesday.

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After many days of sunshine and warm temperatures, the forecast is also calling for a slight chance of showers, but Erven says Kamloops residents shouldn’t expect much.

“Conditions are just so dry throughout the Interior that even if showers do move over the area, it’s so dry in the low levels that it’s unlikely to see significant precipitation reaching the valley bottoms,” she said.

“Because we’ve got this low pressure system moving through, there’s a greater chance of showers moving through places like 100 Mile House, Kamloops, North Thompson and the Shuswap area,” Erven continued. “But again, we’re still going to be dealing with fairly dry conditions in the low levels, so how much rain we can actually squeak out of any of those showers that are passing through is something we’ll be watching.”