Northwestern Ontario Weather: Sunny Friday Gives Way to Saturday Showers

THUNDER BAY — Northwestern Ontario heads into the weekend with generally pleasant summer weather Friday, Aug. 14, before a cooler and wetter Saturday arrives across much of the region.

Kenora, Red Lake, Vermilion Bay, Fort Frances and Sioux Lookout are all expected to see showers Saturday, while Dryden should remain warmer and drier. Conditions improve again Sunday for most communities, although thunderstorms could develop around Dryden. Nipigon will also see showers Saturday before sunshine returns Sunday.

Northwestern Ontario Three-Day Forecast: Aug. 14-16

Kenora

Kenora starts Friday mostly clear with temperatures around 14 C.

Friday, Aug. 14: Sunshine with a few clouds and a pleasant high of 25 C. Overnight low 16 C.

Saturday, Aug. 15: Cloudy, cooler and accompanied by a couple of showers. High 19 C, falling to 14 C overnight.

Sunday, Aug. 16: A mixture of cloud and sunshine returns. High 22 C and overnight low 15 C.

Friday offers the better opportunity for boating, fishing and other activities around Lake of the Woods. Saturday’s showers and cooler temperatures make checking updated wind conditions particularly important before heading onto open water.

Red Lake

Red Lake begins Friday partly cloudy and cool, at around 10 C.

Friday, Aug. 14: Sunshine with a few clouds. High 24 C and overnight low 14 C.

Saturday, Aug. 15: Cloudy and noticeably cooler with a couple of showers. High only 18 C, with a low of 11 C Saturday night.

Sunday, Aug. 16: Bright intervals return, with a high of 21 C. Sunday night cools to around 10 C.

The 6 C drop in daytime temperatures from Friday to Saturday will make the change particularly noticeable for campers, anglers and outdoor workers.

Vermilion Bay

Vermilion Bay starts Friday under clear skies with temperatures near 12 C.

Friday, Aug. 14: Sunshine mixed with a few clouds. High 25 C and overnight low 15 C.

Saturday, Aug. 15: Cloudy and cooler with a couple of showers. High 18 C and overnight low 13 C.

Sunday, Aug. 16: Warmer with increasing sunshine. High 22 C, dropping to 11 C overnight.

Motorists travelling Highway 17 between Kenora and Dryden should be prepared for wet pavement and locally reduced visibility Saturday.

Dryden

Dryden is one of the warmer locations in the regional forecast.

Friday, Aug. 14: Mostly sunny and pleasant. High 26 C and overnight low 12 C.

Saturday, Aug. 15: Sun and some cloud, with another high of 26 C. The overnight low rises to 17 C.

Sunday, Aug. 16: Cloudy and humid with a couple of showers and a risk of a thunderstorm. High 23 C and overnight low 15 C.

Dryden stands out from neighbouring communities Saturday, with temperatures remaining in the mid-20s while Kenora and Vermilion Bay cool to around 18 C or 19 C.

Sunday’s thunderstorm potential will be the main weather issue to watch. Storms can produce sudden changes in visibility and wind conditions along Highway 17, Highway 502 and on area lakes.

Fort Frances

Fort Frances starts Friday clear with temperatures near 11 C.

Friday, Aug. 14: Cloudy but warm, with a high of 25 C. Overnight low 15 C.

Saturday, Aug. 15: Cloudy and cooler with a couple of showers. High 22 C and low 13 C.

Sunday, Aug. 16: Partly sunny, pleasant and less humid. High 23 C. Sunday night becomes quite cool, with a low near 8 C.

Sunday night’s 8 C forecast is a reminder that late-summer nights are beginning to cool across Northwestern Ontario, even when afternoons remain comfortably warm.

Sioux Lookout

Sioux Lookout begins Friday clear and particularly cool, with temperatures around 7 C early in the day.

Friday, Aug. 14: Sunshine with a few clouds. High 24 C and overnight low 14 C.

Saturday, Aug. 15: Cloudy, cooler and accompanied by a couple of showers. High 17 C and low 14 C.

Sunday, Aug. 16: Increasing sunshine and warmer temperatures. High 22 C, with an overnight low of 11 C.

Saturday represents a sharp change, with the daytime high falling about seven degrees from Friday.

For passengers flying through Sioux Lookout as a hub for northern First Nations, periods of rain and lower cloud Saturday could affect local aviation conditions. Travellers should confirm flight information directly with their carrier.

Nipigon

Nipigon starts Friday clear with temperatures around 10 C.

Friday, Aug. 14: Mostly sunny and comfortable. High 24 C and overnight low 10 C.

Saturday, Aug. 15: Some early sunshine will give way to increasing cloud and a couple of showers. High 20 C and overnight low 14 C.

Sunday, Aug. 16: Increasing sunshine. High 23 C, falling to around 10 C Sunday night.

For travellers on Highway 11/17, Saturday’s showers may create periods of reduced visibility through the Nipigon area. Boaters should remember that conditions on Lake Nipigon and Lake Superior can vary substantially from the forecast on land.

<H3>Weekend Travel and Outdoor Outlook</H3>

Friday is the strongest overall outdoor-weather day across Northwestern Ontario. Highs range from 24 C to 26 C in most communities, with sunshine dominating from Kenora through Red Lake, Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Nipigon.

Saturday brings the biggest regional change. Kenora falls to 19 C, Red Lake and Vermilion Bay to 18 C, Sioux Lookout to 17 C and Nipigon to 20 C, with showers forecast in each of those areas. Fort Frances also has showers with a high of 22 C. Dryden is the exception, remaining near 26 C with sun and cloud.

Sunday improves across most of the region, but Dryden could see showers and a thunderstorm. Anyone travelling long distances should check updated forecasts before departure because conditions can differ significantly over the hundreds of kilometres between communities.

Lake and Boating Conditions

Lake of the Woods, Rainy Lake, Wabigoon Lake, Lac Seul and the Nipigon and Superior watersheds can experience wind and wave conditions that are different from nearby land observations.

Friday’s warmer and generally sunnier weather makes it the more attractive boating day in many areas. Saturday requires greater caution where showers develop. Boaters should check the latest marine or local wind forecast, carry required safety equipment and ensure everyone aboard has an appropriate personal flotation device.