A meteorologist with Environment Canada says though it will not be a very hot long weekend for southern Manitoba, it should at least be dry.

Natalie Hasell says right now it looks as though Canada Day will be the nicest day this weekend. That day should be sunny with a high of 25 degrees. She notes Saturday looks to be mainly sunny and 23 and then Sunday is mainly sunny and 26, though there is a chance of thunderstorms Sunday evening. The normal high for this time of year is 26 degrees in Steinbach, while the normal low is 13. The overnight low for both Friday and Saturday nights is 13 degrees.

"We have a number of days that we can actually enjoy a long weekend in southern Manitoba," she says.

Hasell reminds us that our weather a year ago was considerably different. She notes at the end of June is when we were in a heat dome, helping contribute to fires in British Columbia and Alberta. In contrast, this summer seems to have a thunderstorm pass through every few days.

But, Hasell points out that you do not need a system in order for a thunderstorm to develop. She explains that we have had so much precipitation since April that all of southern Manitoba is right now a local source of moisture, providing plenty of fuel for these thunderstorms to form. 

Having said that, Hasell hints that the summer of 2022 is much closer to normal than last year. Last summer was hot and dry, but Hasell says that in a typical southern Manitoba summer it is difficult to go four or five consecutive days without some form of shower activity.

Back to Sunday's precipitation, Hasell says the system passing through should come later in the day. Hasell says she would not be surprised if there are thunderstorms mixed into that but is not anticipating severe thunderstorms.