Weather whiplash: Sask. to switch from drenching rain to dry and hot

Saskatchewan's weather will see some major changes over the next week.

A Colorado low could bring heavy rain Friday and Saturday to parts of the south, while a building area of high pressure and an impressive ridge in our jet stream will dry things out and provide impressive heat for this time of year.

Here's how things could play out.

Parts of south central and southeastern Saskatchewan walloped by last month's snowstorm will likely see the brunt of the expected moisture.

As the Colorado low moves to our southeast, a trough of low pressure will develop over southern Saskatchewan. This trough will pin moisture in place as the low tracks through Minnesota and eventually moves backward from east to west, spilling moisture again over the province.

The heaviest rain will likely begin in the wee hours of Friday and could last for 24 hours.

Totals vary, but Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is not ruling out the possibility of 30 to 40 millimetres falling just in the overnight period Friday in places like Assiniboia, Weyburn and Estevan.

By the end of Friday, these regions could see totals up to 60 mm.

Rainfall warnings have been issued for these areas, with localized flooding a possibility, according to ECCC.

Areas like Swift Current and Yorkton could see up to 5 mm, while Saskatoon and areas to the north will likely not see any moisture.

How much falls will be highly dependent on a competing weather system coming from the opposite direction.

"The fly in the ointment regarding accumulations is the question of how much of an impact the intrusion of dry air from the high pressure to the north will have," ECCC noted in its daily briefing Thursday morning.

Embedded thunderstorms could also pop up during this event, leading to more rain in some areas.

Some waterways in the south have seen flows peak this week — a residual effect of last month's snowstorm. Additional rainfall could further raise levels.