CTV News Calgary has reported:

Calgary is forecast to cool sharply Thursday after a warm, windy Wednesday, then return to near 20 C by Friday as a ridge of high pressure moves in. The Thursday high is expected to reach 11 C, down from Wednesday’s 19 C, and temperatures around 8 a.m. are expected to be close to freezing as people head to work and school.

Warm westerly flow over the southern Rockies pushed temperatures higher early Wednesday. At 9 a.m., Calgary was unofficially Alberta’s hot spot at 13.9 C, above the average daytime high and 15 degrees warmer than the average low, typically reached just before sunrise. By 7 a.m., many communities west of Calgary were a few degrees warmer than those to the east.

Wind gusts of 50 to 70 km/h were recorded in the province’s southwest, while Calgary saw wind speeds close to 40 km/h. Gusts of 40 to 60 km/h were expected in Calgary as winds shifted from the west to the northwest and north, bringing colder air. A yellow-level wind warning was issued Wednesday morning for the Capital region, including Edmonton and most of the Yellowhead Highway in Alberta, with Environment and Climate Change Canada anticipating gusts up to 90 km/h.

“Strong winds will develop today, with westerly winds gusts developing near noon in the Slave Lake and Swan Hills areas. These winds will progress to the southeast and reach the Lloydminster area by early evening,” the agency said. An Alberta clipper was expected to travel from northwestern Alberta toward the southeastern Prairies over the following 24 to 36 hours. Rain and mixed precipitation were observed along the system’s leading edge Wednesday morning, with more rain expected across northern and central Alberta and Saskatchewan through the day.

Rainfall amounts were expected to vary widely, with mixed precipitation likely, thunderstorms possible and mixed precipitation likely at higher elevations. Strong winds along the northern edge of the Rockies could increase instability and lead to funnel cloud development. Weak thunderstorms were reported in southern Alberta, and a photo taken near Delia by Marcia Raymond was shared with the forecast.

The cooler Thursday weather is expected to be brief. High pressure following the fast-moving clipper is forecast to raise daytime highs by about 10 degrees from Thursday to Friday, into the 20-degree range, and produce gusty conditions Saturday. Precipitation is expected to hold off until Sunday night; Sunday is forecast to resemble Thursday, followed by temperatures near seasonal levels for most of next week.