Metro Vancouver sees sunny stretch ahead after weekend drizzle with highs near 25 C

Metro Vancouver is trading Friday's wet weather for an extended sunny stretch, with Environment Canada forecasting dry conditions and warming temperatures starting Sunday through mid-week.

Friday, July 17, started cool and wet following a productive thunderstorm late Thursday, with clouds parting Thursday afternoon and a high of 22 C. Saturday will see some drizzle and winds gusting up to 20 km/h, but a strong ridge of high pressure building Sunday will keep conditions dry across the Lower Mainland.

"We're seeing a shift at the end of the weekend. On Sunday, we see a shift back into a ridge of high pressure, and we are expecting warm temperatures from Monday to Wednesday, possibly into Thursday as well. But Monday to Wednesday look like the hottest three days," said Environment Canada meteorologist Jenn Cowall.

Metro Vancouver isn't expected to hit any heat records on the coast, with highs of 24 C or 25 C expected. Places in the Fraser Valley and inland could experience hotter weather, with highs exceeding 30 C, though they still won't set records. The Interior could see record-breaking heat from the strong ridge.

Cowall said the ridge should carry through the weekend, though a return to near-normal conditions is expected by next Saturday. "Usually when a ridge breaks down, it does mean that it's ushering some precipitation in from somewhere, but I wouldn't even be able to say what day that's coming in at this point."