After a couple of days of near heat warning level temperatures, get ready for a dramatic cool down in Airdrie.  

According to Dan Kulak, Meteorologist for Environment Canada, today will be the last day of nice weather before a low-pressure system comes our way and brings the rain with it. 

"We are expecting some rain showing up by Sunday, there is going to be a real flip from about 25 degrees on Saturday to only a high of eight or nine for Sunday for the Airdrie area.  It's going to be a strong change in the weather pattern. 

Kulak says, like in most summer storms, this one could bring some thunderstorms, but they shouldn't bee too severe.

"I would expect, from long-term experience, that you're going to probably see some flashes and hear some rumbles as this weather pattern changes on Saturday evening."

Kulak says, regardless of the severity of the storm, in the summer lightning is something we should always be aware of and be prepared to take precautions even if its not close at hand.

"I think something that many people don't realize is how deadly lightning statistically is in Canada.  It does cause more fatalities in our country than hail, rain, wind, tornadoes and even hurricanes combined.  Most of the lightning fatalities that we do have are from storms that don't even have any warnings associated with them because they don't have any strong rain or the big hail or strong winds associated with them.  It's just the general storms that we're used to seeing through the summertime that can strike very quickly.  The lightning can strike ten or 20 kilometres away.  You don't feel threatened by these 'cause you see them so many times.  Whereas with a big storm with a wall of wind and a wall of hail you go inside.  The regular storms you go outside and you increase your vulnerability and many people die that way."

Questions? Comments? Story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com