Another hot spell expected in Kamloops this week as a heat warning is in effect across the region.

Doug Lundquist, a meteorologist with Environment Canada says over the next three days, daytime high temperatures are expected to range in the mid 30s to low 40’s, with overnight lows only dropping down to a low of 18 degrees.

“Its relentless because our coolest day is only around 30 and our normal high for this year is 28 so we are still above average even on the coldest day of the week.”

He says its being caused by a ridge of high pressure sweeping across the region over the next three days.

“Its been a hot period, basically the first part of summer we usually start out cool and an unsettled wet June and usually around the first week of July we switched; and this year we switched with a vengeance its been really really hot, but the cool down is only coming down to basically near average.”

He says the thunderstorms forecasted for Friday, could bring concerns for wildfires in the area.

“Especially because the thunderstorms that we will get on Friday could more likely be drier than we even saw last week across the southwest Interior, so we could get dry lightning.”

However, Lundquist says the thunderstorms are only expected to last one day before hot and dry temperatures return through the weekend and into next week.

“The ridge builds back next weekend and it will probably be almost as hot through the weekend and much of next week,” he says.

With the hot temperatures, Lundquist stresses the importance of checking in on the people in our life who are vulnerable to the heat.

“Its not as hot as it got with that extreme heat event like we had last year, but its kind of a vengeance as its been consistently hot the last five or six weeks here.”

Interior Health has also issued an advisory, asking people to pay attention to heat-related illnesses.

Preparing for and responding to hot weather:

• If you have air conditioning at home, make sure it is in good working order and turn it on.
• If you do not have air conditioning at home:
• Find somewhere you can cool off on hot days. Consider places in your community to spend time indoors such as libraries, community centres, movie theatres or malls. Also, as temperatures may be hotter inside than outside, consider outdoor spaces with lots of shade and running water.
• Shut windows and close curtains and blinds during the heat of the day to block the sun and prevent hotter outdoor air from coming inside. Open doors and windows when it is cooler outside to move that air indoors.
• Ensure that you have a working fan, but do not rely on fans as your primary means of cooling. Fans can be used to draw cooler late-evening, overnight and early-morning air indoors. Keep track of temperatures in your home using a thermostat or thermometer. Sustained indoor temperatures over 31 C can be dangerous for people who are susceptible to heat.
• If your home gets very hot, consider staying with a friend or relative who has air conditioning if possible.
• Identify people who may be at high risk for heat-related illness. If possible, help them prepare for heat and plan to check in on them.