Summer-like conditions will descend upon West Central Saskatchewan this week for the first time in 2023.

Daytime highs are expected to hit at least the 20 C mark for the next seven days with Wednesday and Thursday reaching the mid-20s C.

A ridge of high pressure sweeping across the region is creating above-average temperatures to begin May.

"It's coming from the southern [United] States and it's quite dry [the air]," Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada said. "Under a high-pressure ridge like this, the air sinks and when air sinks it actually warms. That's where we're getting the extra warmth as well."

The lack of recent moisture and warm conditions can be a dangerous combination for grass fires in the springtime.

"Be careful around ignition sources that means, fires, cigarette butts, farm machinery, all of that stuff can set off a grass fire," Lang said. 

Only one of the several models that Environment and Climate Change Canada look at to forecast incoming weather shows any precipitation this week.

"It doesn't look like anything organized [in terms of showers]," she said. "Often when it's this dry, even if we get a few showers forming, it tends to evaporate before it hits the ground."

The next three days are projected to be sunny followed by four days of a mix of sun and cloud.