Edmonton Area in the Crosshairs for Strong Severe Thunderstorms Tuesday with Threat of Very Large Hail and Possible Tornadoes

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It’ll be yet another day with the threat of strong severe thunderstorms for parts of Alberta. Today’s risk will be along the Highway 43 corridor between Whitecourt and Edmonton, and throughout the surrounding area, including Edson, Drayton Valley, and Westlock.

There will be plenty of instability in the atmosphere across Central Alberta and into parts of Northern Alberta today, with upwards of 3000J/kg of CAPE being shown on weather models beginning this afternoon. Additionally, ample moisture and shear throughout the region will lead to all the necessary ingredients being in place for some strong severe thunderstorms to develop.

Today’s thunderstorms could possibly begin in the Foothills in the mid-to-late afternoon, but it’s more likely that storms will fire up in this area during the early evening. Once the isolated storms do start to develop, they are expected to rapidly strengthen into strong supercells, which will track mostly eastward across the province through the remainder of the evening and overnight.

Hourly Precipitation at 1Am MDT, courtesy of weatherbell.

These severe thunderstorms are expected to reach the Edmonton area sometime in the late evening or shortly after midnight, around 11pm-2am. These thunderstorms could very likely maintain their strength up until this point, however there is also the possibility that the storms will weaken to the west, before hitting Edmonton. Regardless, as we progress overnight and into the pre-dawn hours, and the storms continue tracking eastwards, they are expected to weaken considerably and will likely dissipate before reaching the Saskatchewan border.

The greatest threat from the strong supercell thunderstorms today will be very large hail, which could end up being up to tennis ball size. There will also be the risk of damaging wind gusts in excess of 100km/h, intense rainfall, and even the possibility of a tornado or two.

In the meantime, there will be a more isolated severe risk this afternoon and evening in Southeastern Alberta. The storms in this part of the province aren’t expected to be particularly strong, especially when compared to the storms further north, with the main concern being some strong wind gusts, small hail, and pockets of heavy rain.

Given that today’s strong severe thunderstorms will have tornado potential continuing after dark, especially in such a populated area, it’s crucial to ensure that you have all of your devices charged and that you have more than one way to receive critical alerts. We expect to be live-streaming today’s storms once they begin to develop, along with those in Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick, so be sure to tune in!

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Widespread Tornado and Large Hail Threat with Another Risk of Severe Thunderstorms in Alberta & Saskatchewan Saturday

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Following yesterday's widespread severe weather, in which multiple tornadoes were reported to have touched down in Central Saskatchewan, as well as one possibly touching down to the west of Edmonton, we're in for yet another day with the risk for strong severe thunderstorms.

For several days, weather models have been showing that the environment could be extremely unstable today, especially across much of Saskatchewan, which could result in a fairly significant severe weather outbreak. Working against this, however, is the likelihood that there could actually be too heat higher up in the atmosphere, which could create a strong capping inversion that would hinder thunderstorm development. This is expected to be the case for much of Southern Saskatchewan today, where there will be a more isolated severe risk. It's important to note that any storms that are able to develop in this region will probably be quite strong.

Shifting northward, the capping should be less of an issue in Central and Northern parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Across this large swath of the Prairies, severe thunderstorms are expected to develop much more readily in a favourable environment.

Although there are already some thunderstorms this morning in Central and Northern Alberta, the storms that we are most concerned about are expected to beginning developing early this afternoon in Western Alberta, which will track mostly eastward through the afternoon.

As these storms cross into Saskatchewan early this evening, they could strengthen considerably as they move through the most ideal environment. These thunderstorms are expected to maintain their strength as they cross Saskatchewan during the evening and into the overnight hours. As they approach the provincial border and cross into Western Manitoba, the storms are expected to weaken and then dissipate in the early morning hours.

At their strongest, the severe thunderstorms today could easily produce large golf ball to tennis ball size hail, damaging wind gusts up to and possibly exceeding 100km/h, and heavy rain. There will be a widespread risk of tornadoes today in the area outlined in yellow and even in Southern Saskatchewan if storms are able to form there, but the most significant risk will be in the orange region. An area of particular concern today will be around North Battleford, Saskatoon, and Prince Alberta.

This is looking like it could be another long day with a heightened severe weather threat across the Prairies. Given today’s widespread tornado risk, please ensure that you have all of your devices charged and that you have more than one way to receive critical alerts. We expect to be livestreaming today’s storms so be sure to tune in!

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Massive Tennis Ball Hail and Tornado Threat from Strong Severe Thunderstorms Across All Three Prairie Provinces Thursday

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Yesterday, two tornadoes have been confirmed to have touched near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, south of Lloydminster. So far, no damage has been reported from the first tornado that began southwest of Paradise Valley, Alberta. The same can not be said for the second tornado, which tracked through Dillberry Lake Provincial Park, where it damaged trees, flipped a trailer, and caused minor injuries.

Unfortunately, this area will once again be at risk for tornadoes today, as we are looking at two particular regions in the Prairies where there could be strong severe thunderstorms capable of producing very large hail and tornadoes. The first area of concern will be in Southwestern Manitoba and extending northward into the Parkland and Interlake Regions. The second area is further west, extending southeastward from Wainwright, through Kindersley, to the Moose Jaw and Regina area.

To start things off, we’ll take a look at the severe risk in Eastern Saskatchewan and into Manitoba. As discussed in yesterday’s forecast, last night’s storms did manage to track across Saskatchewan overnight and persist through to the daylight hours today. They weakened considerably after crossing the Manitoba border and have gradually dissipated this morning.

Despite the lingering storms, the same low and frontal boundary setup that triggered yesterday’s tornadoes is positioned over Southern Saskatchewan and it will continue tracking eastward today.

Future Surface weather map with the positions of highs, lows, and fronts displayed for 12pm cst/1pm CDT on Thursday, courtesy of the national weather service.

Temperatures will climb into the mid-to-upper 20s and dewpoints into the low 20s across much of Southeastern Saskatchewan and Southern Manitoba today, meaning there will be plenty of moisture. The environment will also be quite unstable, with CAPE values possibly as high as 3000J/kg. Along with a decent amount of shear, all of the ingredients will be in place for strong severe thunderstorms to develop this afternoon as the low tracks through the region.

Thunderstorms could start to develop in the early afternoon in Southeastern Saskatchewan, along the warm and occluded fronts. However it’s looking more likely that storm initiation will occur on the other side of the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border in the mid-afternoon.

Simulated reflectivity at 3pm CdT, courtesy of weatherbell.

Given the extensive north-south orientation of the warm and occluded fronts, it’s possible that there could be widespread severe thunderstorm development that extends northwards from the international border to north of Flin Flon. While there is this large severe risk, the strongest severe thunderstorms are expected to remain further south.

The storms in Southern Manitoba are expected to strengthen quickly once they develop, especially if they interact with any lingering outflow boundaries from this mornings thunderstorms. If this were to happen, we could see some fairly explosive development in the region. There could be a few supercell storms, but it’s mostly looking like the storms will be multicellular in nature.

As the front slowly continues to track eastward and crosses Manitoba through the afternoon and evening, so too will the storms. In fact, these slow moving, moisture-laden storms could dump a lot of rain over an area that has already been dealing with major flooding issues, so be prepared.

Other than exacerbating the flooding concerns, if things really ramp up this afternoon and evening, the strong severe thunderstorms could potentially produce some massive hail today, with estimates of hail as large as tennis balls being possible. Damaging wind gusts up to 120km/h are also likely with these strong storms, and there will also be a threat of tornadoes if we end up seeing some of that explosive development.

The severe weather threat could possibly move into Winnipeg and the Red River Valley in the evening, but most models are showing the storms tracking southeastward into the States. The possibility of storms in this region is still a bit questionable, so we’re forecasting a widespread risk to the east of the area of strongest storms.

Simulated reflectivity, with added storm motion, at 7pm CdT, courtesy of weatherbell.

While storms are impacting Southern Manitoba, there will also be the risk of some severe thunderstorms further west.

A new low has been forming over Southern Alberta and it could trigger thunderstorms to develop this afternoon, but it’s looking like a boom or bust situation in this region. There will be plenty of moisture and a decent amount of instability, but there could actually be too much shear for thunderstorms to survive.

If storms are able to develop today and they aren’t over-sheared, they will likely be supercells that could start up in Central Alberta and track southeastward across West Central and Southwestern Saskatchewan. Models that are showing thunderstorm development are suggesting that these could end up being long-lived storms again, which could continue into the overnight and early morning hours as they approach the Montana border.

total Precipitation as of 3pm MDT/CST shows possible tracks of long-lived thunderstorms, courtesy of weatherbell.

The greatest risk of strong severe thunderstorms in Alberta and Western Saskatchewan today will exist from Wainwright to Moose Jaw and if these strong storms do develop, it could be a similar situation as yesterday. Very large hail, that could be tennis ball size or larger, would once again be the main severe threat. Damaging wind gusts well in excess of 100km/h will also be possible and there will be the threat of tornadoes, too.

Beyond the two areas we’ve highlighted as having the strongest severe thunderstorms today, there will also be a widespread severe risk across much of the Southern Prairies as a result of a favourable environmental conditions.

Shortly after 10:30am local time, Environment Canada has issued a Yellow Severe Thunderstorm Watch for parts of Central and Southern Alberta. Similar Watches will likely be issued in Saskatchewan and Manitoba in the coming hours.

As always, we will be monitoring today’s thunderstorm development very closely. We intend on live streaming today’s storms, as well as the risk in Southern Ontario, so please be sure to tune in and stay safe!

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Threat of Tennis Ball Hail, Damaging Winds, and Tornadoes on Wednesday as Strong Severe Thunderstorms Take Aim at Parts of Alberta & Saskatchewan

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After a bit of a break yesterday, severe weather returns today to parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan. There is a widespread risk of severe thunderstorms across large swaths of both provinces today, however there is a threat of particularly strong severe thunderstorms for parts of Eastern Alberta and Western Saskatchewan.

The environment will be quite unstable throughout the region today, with CAPE values expected to climb as high as 2500J/kg. Combined with plenty of moisture and a considerable amount of shear, conditions will be favourable for thunderstorm development.

Some storms have already begun this morning to the northwest of Lac la Biche, and the bulk of today’s storms are expected to initiate in the Alberta Foothills later this morning and into the early afternoon. The storms will develop along a warm front that’s associated with a low which will move into Northern Alberta from British Columbia. It’s expected that today’s thunderstorms will start off as small individual storms, but they should quickly grow and strengthen as the track eastward across Alberta and reach the Saskatchewan border by the late afternoon.

Hourly Precipitation at 6pm MDT, courtesy of weatherbell.

The strongest storms of the day are expected to occur during the late afternoon and into the evening, impacting parts of Eastern Alberta approaching the Saskatchewan border and extending eastward as far as Saskatoon. The main risks from these storms will be up to tennis ball sized hail and very damaging wind gusts that could be upwards of 120km/h, however, this area will also have the threat of tornadoes.

As we progress later into the evening and overnight, the storms will continue to track east across Saskatchewan, but they are expected to have weakened slightly. The thunderstorms could end up persisting straight through the night and approach the Manitoba border around sunrise tomorrow.

Simulated reflectivity at 6Am CST, courtesy of weatherbell.

There is a bit of uncertainty associated with today’s thunderstorm risk for Southern Alberta. A few weather models are showing little to no thunderstorm activity in this area and this potential lack of development could be due to the presence of smoke from wildfires in British Columbia. Regardless, the environment in this region will still be primed for thunderstorm development, which is why we have opted to forecast a widespread risk for this region.

Environment Canada has already issued Yellow and Orange level Severe Thunderstorm Watches for much of Central and Southern Alberta and these will likely be extended into Saskatchewan in the coming hours. We will be monitoring today’s thunderstorm development very closely and we will possibly go live later on so be sure to stay tuned!

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Widespread Strong Severe Thunderstorm Risk Across the Prairies Sunday with Tornado Threat in Southwestern Manitoba

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It’s another day with the possibility of severe weather across the Prairies. Today’s risk extends eastward from Southern Alberta through Central Saskatchewan and throughout most of Central and Southern Manitoba.

There are going to be two areas where we will be watching for thunderstorm development later today. The first being in Southern Alberta and the second in Southeastern Saskatchewan and Southwestern Manitoba.

Starting in Alberta, the combination of heat and moisture from the south, along with considerable instability, will create the ideal environment for severe thunderstorms to develop this afternoon. The storms are expected to be supercells or multicellular that would develop in the Southern Foothills.

As the storms track eastward beyond the Foothills, they should become severe and possibly long-tracked thunderstorms. Looking at weather models, it appears as though things will strengthen to the east of Calgary, but there will still be an isolated severe risk for the City and the crowds at the Stampede.

Simulated reflectivity at 6pm MDT, courtesy of weatherbell.

The thunderstorms that develop in Southern Alberta this afternoon could very well maintain their strength and continue tracking eastward straight across Central Saskatchewan through the late evening and into the overnight hours. There is a bit of a question mark with this, with some models showing this possibility while others show nothing impacting Saskatchewan.

Regardless, the thunderstorms that do end up developing in this region could be quite strong and have the potential to create very large hail that could possibly be as big as tennis balls, as well as damaging wind gusts in excess of 100km/h.

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The secondary area of severe threat for today will exist in Southeastern Saskatchewan and across much of Southern and Central Manitoba.

The development of storms in this region will be courtesy of a cold front from a low pressure system that will move into the region this afternoon. The environment in this area will already be primed with substantial instability (CAPE values upwards of 3000J/kg) and a significant amount of vertical shear so thunderstorms will likely be quite strong, especially in Southwestern Manitoba.

Thunderstorm development in this part of the Prairies could kick off later this afternoon/early evening in deep Southeastern Saskatchewan and Southwestern Manitoba. These storms could then intensify quickly as they track east-northeastward across Southern Manitoba throughout the evening and overnight.

Simulated reflectivity at 9pm CDT, courtesy of weatherbell.

As with to the west, the severe thunderstorms that impact Southeastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba could also be quite strong. The entire region could experience large hail and damaging wind gusts, but in Southwestern Manitoba, where the strongest storms will likely hit, there could be hail as large as tennis balls. There is also the risk of tornado development throughout the evening that extends from Southeastern Saskatchewan to east of Winnipeg and northward into the Parkland and Interlake Regions.

We will be monitoring today’s thunderstorm development very closely and be sure to tune in later when we go live!

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Widespread Severe Thunderstorms Possible Across Southern Alberta and into Southwestern Saskatchewan Today with Slight Risk of a Tornado

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Severe thunderstorms are going to be likely across Southern Alberta and into parts of Central Alberta and Southwestern Saskatchewan today. A cold front associated with the low pressure system that’s responsible for the heavy rainfall in Central Alberta will be the trigger for thunderstorm development this afternoon and evening.

Temperatures are expected to climb into the low to mid-20s, but dewpoints are expected to be fairly low, barely reaching mid-teens for most of Southern Alberta and Southwestern Saskatchewan. This lack of moisture could hamper thunderstorm development, however some moisture from the north could make its way into the region later today, which would make up for the lower dewpoints.

Simulated reflectivity at 3pm MDT, courtesy of weatherbell.

Thunderstorms are expected to develop early this afternoon in the Foothills as individual cells. These storms will likely be severe for most of the region, but there is a more isolated severe risk closer to the low pressure center, in the Edmonton area and westward.

As the storms progress eastward through the afternoon and evening, they are expected to eventually merge into a line. This transition to a linear storm mode will bring a more widespread severe risk across Southeastern Alberta and eventually into Southwestern Saskatchewan later in the evening (around 8-10pm).

The severe risk does not extend too far eastward into Saskatchewan because the storms will weaken later in the evening. This will lead to a more isolated threat into the Swift Current area by around midnight before it’s expected that the storms become non-severe for the rest of the overnight period.

Simulated reflectivity at 9pm MDT, courtesy of weatherbell.

Across most of Southern Alberta and stretching into parts of Central Alberta, including Red Deer, and Southwestern Saskatchewan is where there is the greatest risk for widespread severe thunderstorms today. In this region, the main severe weather threats will be strong wind gusts above 100km/h and large hail that could be as big as ping pong balls. There is also a small risk of a tornado today, but that will be very conditional on there being enough moisture moving into this area from the north ahead of the thunderstorm development.

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Another Soggy Weekend for Central Alberta as we Welcome Summer with a Widespread 25-100mm of Rain

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It’s been a very wet few weeks, which started off during the last weekend of May when over 75mm of rain fell across a significant swath of Central and Southern Alberta. This rainy trend will continue this weekend, as we welcome the first day of summer on Sunday, and by Monday morning, some areas could once again receive up to 100mm of rain.

Rain will begin to fall in parts of West Central Alberta Friday evening and overnight as a low pressure system from British Columbia starts to move into the province. Through Saturday morning, the rain will gradually spread east and should reach the Saskatchewan border during the early afternoon.

Once the rain sets up over Central Alberta and into parts of Northern Alberta, the system is expected to stall and bring continuous rain through to Sunday evening. At that point, the system will start to break down and the rain will taper off overnight Sunday and through Monday morning. It’s likely that a bit of rain will spread into Southeastern Alberta Monday morning before it completely dissipates by the afternoon.

The RDPS model showing precipitation type and intensity at 5AM MDT on Sunday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

By the time the rain comes to an end Monday afternoon, more than 25mm of rain is expected to have fallen over much of Central Alberta and into Northern Alberta. Areas to the east of Edson will likely receive 50-75mm, while the City of Edmonton and eastward could see upwards of 100mm of rain.

The heaviest rain will fall at an average of 3-5mm/hr throughout the weekend, but there could possibly be pockets of intense rain from embedded thunderstorms, which could drive the rainfall totals beyond 100mm locally.

Considering how much rain we’ve already seen this month that has kept the ground fairly saturated, this much additional rainfall will very likely lead to localized flooding, especially near bodies of water. Please be sure to avoid any moving water for the next few days and if you come across a flooded roadway, do not attempt to drive through. Turn around, don’t drown.

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Strong Winds and Timbit Sized Hail Possible with Widespread Risk of Severe Thunderstorms in Southern Alberta & Saskatchewan Tuesday

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It’s looking like it’ll be an active day for some parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan today. A low pressure system from Southern British Columbia will track southeastward through Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan today, which will trigger the development of thunderstorms across the region.

Temperatures are expected to climb into the low to mid-20s, with dewpoints possibly into the mid-teens, across Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, which should help fuel thunderstorm development. There will be a modest amount of CAPE in the region, with weather models showing upwards of 1000J/kg for some areas. While this is not a great deal of instability, the combination of shear and a mechanism for lift will be enough for scattered thunderstorms to develop across the region.

Simulated reflectivity at 2pm, courtesy of weatherbell.

Non-severe thunderstorms have already developed this morning in Central Alberta. As the low continues tracking southeast into Southern Alberta, so too will the thunderstorms and starting in the early afternoon, it’s likely that the storms that develop will become severe.

The bulk of the thunderstorm activity is expected to make its way into Southern Saskatchewan later in the afternoon, around 3-5pm. Behind the initial cluster of storms in this area, additional storms are expected to develop to the west, in Southern Alberta. Most of these storms will likely be severe, but there is a more isolated severe risk that will extend eastward across much of the rest of Southern Saskatchewan.

The thunderstorms will gradually weaken through the evening as they continue tracking into Montana and most of the storms should cross the international border by midnight. However, there is a chance that some storms could linger in Southern Saskatchewan into the early morning hours.

Simulated reflectivity at 6pm, courtesy of weatherbell.

An area that stretches from northwest of Calgary southeastward into Southwestern Saskatchewan, shown in yellow on our forecast map, is where there is the greatest risk for widespread severe thunderstorms today. Across this region, the main threat from thunderstorms today will be strong wind gusts in excess of 100km/h, however there is also the threat that these storms could produce large hail that could be as large as Timbits and maybe even as large as golf balls. Given that at least one tornado is confirmed to have touched down in Northern Alberta from this system last night, the possibility of additional tornadoes today can not be ruled out.

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Soaking Rains Will Mark the End of May and Start of June Across Most of Alberta, More Than 100mm Possible Over Four Days

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It’s been a scorcher of a week for parts of Alberta and it’s felt more like summer thanks to temperatures climbing into the low-to-mid 30s, which is 10-20°C above seasonal, depending on the location. Now, the upper level ridge responsible for the heat is shifting eastward and it will be replaced by more moderate temperatures across the province.

Alongside these cooler temperatures, we are also looking at several days of much-needed rain that is expected to fall over the majority of Alberta. Unfortunately, it’s looking like the heavy rain won’t make it into Northwestern Alberta so those in this region will have to make do with what falls on Friday and into early Saturday.

Patchy areas of light and moderate rainfall will start to make its way into Southern Alberta from the States on Saturday morning from a low pressure system over Montana. The low will gradually track north towards the Saskatchewan border through the day and with it, the rain will also spread northwards. Rain will also cross from Saskatchewan into later in the day to create one large area of rainfall that covers much of the eastern half of the province by Sunday morning.

The ECMWF model showing precipitation type and intensity at 7AM MT on Sunday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

The low pressure center should be located over Southwestern Saskatchewan before sunrise on Sunday. This is when the low is expected to strengthen, which will lead to heavier rain falling across Eastern Alberta. The system will slowly continue tracking north throughout Sunday, which will bring the rain up to the Northwest Territories border by the evening.

On Saturday alone, at least 10mm of rain is expected fall across the eastern half of the province and conservatively, up to 50mm could be possible in parts of East Central and Northeastern Alberta.

The ECMWF model showing total precipitation over 24 hours up to 12am MT Monday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

The rain will continue to fall into Monday, with the continuation of heavy rain as well. However, the system will begin to fall apart in the afternoon and the rain will end for most of Northeastern Alberta.

The rain will continue to fall in East Central and Southern Alberta throughout the day, but there could be breaks in the rainfall, as well as periods of heavy rain. These opposite ends of the spectrum make the rainfall totals on Monday a bit tougher to forecast.

Once again, at least 10mm of rain is expected to fall over a significant area over the course of Monday. Overall, not as much rain is expected to fall on Monday than on Sunday, but some areas could still see up to 40mm of rain by the end of the day.

The ECMWF model showing total precipitation over 24 hours up to 12am MT Tuesday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

Going into Tuesday, there is still expected to be some pockets of heavier rain that will continue during the morning. However, the remaining rain will gradually taper off through the day, ending by Wednesday morning.

By the time the rain comes to an end Wednesday morning, more than 50mm of rain is expected to have fallen over a large portion of Alberta. Along the Highway 2 corridor and extending north of Edmonton, 75-100mm of rain is expected to fall and potentially over 100mm locally. The heaviest rain will fall at an average of 3-5mm/hr, but there could possibly be pockets of intense rain falling at 10-15mm/hr, which could really drive these totals up.

Seeing as this is an event that will occur multiple days, it’s possible that there could be a shift in where the rain ends up falling between the time that this forecast is posted (Friday evening) and Monday, in particular. We will be watching how the system sets up and if there are any major changes, we’ll be sure to keep you updated! Nonetheless, this is expected to make a huge impact to the fire danger across much of Alberta.

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Real Taste of Summer for Alberta & Saskatchewan as Temperatures Soar into the 30s with Severe Thunderstorm Risk

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It was only a little over a week ago that we had snow falling across parts of the Prairies. Now, Mother Nature is treating us to some weather whiplash and a true taste of summer, with temperatures climbing into the 30s in a heat wave that begins today and continues through the week.

This extended period heat is courtesy of a strong upper level ridge in the jet stream which will allow much warmer air from the States to surge northward. This ridge is expected to gradually extend eastward over the course of the week, which will then bring the heat into Manitoba and possibly deliver some relief in Eastern Alberta.

Along with the heat today, there will be the risk for severe thunderstorms to develop in Southern Alberta and Southwestern Saskatchewan.

Isolated thunderstorms are possible for Southern Alberta throughout the afternoon, but the greatest risk of severe weather begins with storms that develop later in the afternoon and early evening in both provinces, as well as in Montana. Storms that form during this time will likely be severe as they track northwestward, but as we get later into the evening and overnight hours, they should weaken and become non-severe.

Strong wind gusts in excess of 100km/h are the main threat from today’s severe thunderstorms, but there will also be a possibility of up to nickel-sized hail. There is a chance that there might be enough capping in the atmosphere today that storms could struggle to develop so we will certainly be keeping a close watch on how things shape up over the coming hours.

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A One-Two Punch of Winter Weather Could Bring Up to 15cm of Snow to Much of Central & Southern Alberta This Week

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As is to be expected for April in Alberta, winter’s grip isn’t quite ready to let go, despite some mild, spring-like conditions having already made brief appearances.

This week, two separate systems will bring fresh snow across Central and Southern Alberta, and into parts of Northern Alberta. Even though these two systems will originate from different places, the tail end of the first system will meld into the leading edge of the second. As a result, we have opted to create a single forecast for both storms.

The snow will begin to fall early Tuesday morning in Jasper National Park and into the Grande Cache area, where it will fairly light and scattered for most of the day. Some pockets snow could stretch east towards Edson and Drayton Valley during the morning, but it is expected to be mixed with rain, which will limit any accumulating snow.

The rdps model showing precipitation type and intensity at 6Am MT on Tuesday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

During the evening is when we expect to really start to see precipitation pushing eastward across the province. As with the possibility of this in the morning, the precipitation will fall as rain initially, since it will be above freezing, but it will change over to snow overnight as the temperatures fall.

This won’t be a very wide band of precipitation, impacting the southern extent of Northern Alberta as far north as Slave Lake. A shift in the track since Sunday afternoon means that the bulk of this snow is now expected to stay north of Edmonton. The band of snow will settle over this region overnight and through to Wednesday afternoon.

The steady light to moderate snowfall during this period will result in 5-15cm of accumulation across much of the impacted region, with up to 25cm possible in the Grande Cache area as a result of the prolonged snow beginning on Tuesday.

The ECMWF model showing precipitation type and intensity at 1pm MT on Wednesday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

In the late afternoon, snow from the second system will start to make its way into the Southern Rockies from the southwest. Meanwhile the band of snow to the north will begin to sink southward. These two areas of snow will combine, leading to one large area of snowfall developing over most of Central and Southern Alberta in the late evening.

This large region of snowfall will maintain its position over the region into Thursday morning. Then in the afternoon, the snow will start to gradually taper off as the entire system continues to track eastward across the Prairies. The snow is expected to completely exit the province by midnight.

The rdps model showing precipitation type and intensity at 6Am MT on Thursday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

The combination of these two systems, which will impact different parts of the province, means that snow will end up accumulating over a considerable portion of Alberta.

As previously mentioned, the first system is expected to bring 5-15cm to parts of Northern Alberta, while the Grande Cache area may see up to 25cm. The amount of snow that falls in this part of the province will be very dependent on when the transition from rain to snow occurs Tuesday night; a delayed shift would limit how much snow ends up falling.

As far as the remnants of the first system merging with the second are concerned, the steady rate of snowfall will also lead to 5-15cm of snow falling over the majority of Central and Southern Alberta. There are a couple of exceptions, though.

It’s looking likely that before the band of snow impacting Northern Alberta starts to track southward Wednesday evening, the snow might taper off slightly in the east. This would reduce the amount of snow that accumulates in a stretch from Edmonton to Lloydminster.

There is also possibility that there could be some rain falling instead of snow in the Southeast corner of the province during the early morning hours of Thursday, which would also greatly reduce the amount of accumulating snow. However, there is still some disagreement between weather models on whether this occurs. Nonetheless, these two possibilities are reflected on our forecast map as areas that could receive less than 5cm.

It’s also worth noting that the snow could be heavy at times in eastern parts of Central and Southern Alberta as the second system hits the region. Some weather models are showing that this could lead to some areas receiving over 15cm of snow. While this is a possibility on a local scale, the snow in this region is expected to melt on contact with the warm ground at first, before it eventually starts to stick. This should therefore keep accumulations below the 15cm mark.

Since the arrival of the second system is still 48 hours away from when this forecast is originally being posted (on Monday evening), it is possible that we could see some changes in its track and the amount of snow it could bring. We will continue to monitor the situation and have an updated forecast if there are any significant changes.

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No April Fools, Snowstorm May Dump Up to 15cm on Calgary and Parts of Southern Alberta

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It may be April Fool’s Day, but unfortunately, the forecast for the incoming snow storm is not a joke. This has been another tricky forecast for the area, with weather models downgrading the amount of snowfall expected and disagreements over where the heaviest snow bands will set up.

Precipitation will push northward into Southern Alberta Wednesday evening as a mix of rain and snow thanks to temperatures that will hover over just above the freezing mark. This rain and snow will fall scattered pockets throughout the evening and overnight as it continues to push northward into the Edmonton area.

Things will become more widespread and organized, along with the rain starting to switch over to snow, after sun rise on Thursday. This is also when we’ll start to see isolated bands of heavier snowfall begin to set up.

The rdps model showing precipitation type and intensity at 7Am MT on Thursday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

The bulk of the snow will likely settle over the QE2 corridor throughout the morning with some expansion into Southeastern Alberta in the afternoon. The snow will begin to taper off in the mid to later afternoon, but some scattered areas of slight snow are still expected to linger into early Friday morning.

For the most part, we’re looking at 5-15cm of snow stretching from Edmonton to the US border and eastward into Saskatchewan to the south of Medicine Hat. Most of this region will receive less than 10cm, with the Edmonton area set to receive around 5cm and the mixing of rain limiting accumulation in the Southeast.

The span from Airdrie to Cardston along Highway 2 is where we’re expecting 10-15cm to fall by Friday morning, with the possibility of up to 20cm locally, particularly around Calgary. The timing of the heavier snow during the morning could cause some headaches for the morning commute.

At this point, it’s looking like the Easter Weekend will be mostly dry across the province which will be ideal for those travelling to see family over the long weekend.

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Winter's Last Hurrah? Prairies Brace for Up to 15cm of Snow as Atmospheric River Arrives Tuesday

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The calendar may say that it’s Spring, but it appears that Mother Nature may have missed the memo. An incoming system, courtesy of the atmospheric river funnelling moisture into British Columbia, will blast across the Prairies on Tuesday and Wednesday, dumping 5-15cm over a considerable swath of the region. It’s still too early to be certain, but this could very well be the last significant snowfall of the season for some parts of the Prairies.

The snow will begin to fall in the Rockies during the early morning hours of Tuesday. It will remain isolated to this area until the late morning/early afternoon, at which point the snow will start to spread deeper into Alberta.

The rdps model showing precipitation type and intensity at 6Pm MT/7pm CT on Tuesday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

Through the afternoon and into the evening, the snowfall will orient along a rough northwest-southeast axis, stretching approximately from Grande Prairie to Lloydminster.

The leading edge of the snow will cross into Saskatchewan early Tuesday evening, spreading southeastward across the province throughout the rest of the evening and reaching the Manitoba border around midnight. It’s likely that there will be some light snow falling in parts of Southern Manitoba Tuesday evening, ahead of the main system, which could result in a few centimetres of accumulation before the majority of the accumulation arrives later.

There is the possibility of isolated pockets of freezing rain along the southern edge of the snow in Southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba throughout the day Wednesday, as the moisture interacts with areas with above freezing temperatures. The threat from the freezing rain is minimal overall, with only a millimetre or so expected, but it could be enough to make untreated surfaces a bit slippery.

The rdps model showing precipitation type and intensity at 2m MT/3pm CT on Wednesday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

The snow will begin to taper off in Alberta Wednesday morning, ending from west to east throughout the day. There could be some lingering light snow in Southern Manitoba overnight and into Thursday morning, but it is expected to end by the lunch hour.

This system will bring upwards of 15cm of snow across all three Prairie provinces, from Grande Prairie to Pine Falls. The snow isn’t expected to be too heavy, falling at rates up to 2cm/hr, but the possibility of some localized intensification may result in snowfall totals exceeding 15cm, especially in East Central Saskatchewan.

In the Rockies, the snow will fall continuously for the longest period of time, which will lead to accumulations of 15-25cm by Thursday afternoon. The greatest amount of snowfall occurring here poses a unique issue as it compounds the preexisting avalanche risk through the region and it also hinders the cleanup from avalanche control efforts that happened over the weekend.

Those who are south of the snow won’t be completely unaffected by the system as it moves through the region. On Wednesday, strong winds are expected to develop in Southeastern Alberta and Southwestern Saskatchewan. Wind gusts in the 60-80km/h range are likely for a few hours before they weaken later in the afternoon and into the evening.

The rdps model showing wind gusts at 11am MT/12pm CT on Wednesday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

We will be watching how this system develops through the day on Tuesday because a slight shift in the track could lead to significant changes to the forecast downstream, especially as it tracks into Manitoba. In the event that the path of the storm deviates from what is anticipated as of Monday evening, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.

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Wickedly Windy Weekend in Store Across Alberta, Widespread Gusts up to 100km/h

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It’s going to be a blustery weekend across Alberta, with strong wind gusts in excess of 70km/h expected at some point over the next two days for most of the province. These strong winds will strike in two rounds as two separate systems are slated to track through the Prairies this weekend.

The first system will begin to make its way into Northern Alberta Friday evening. it will bring a mixture of snow, rain, and freezing rain to the region overnight and through Saturday morning.

This system won’t bring too much snow to the area; a maximum of 5-10cm is expected and this will be isolated more to the Northeast. As far as freezing rain is concerned, it will be patchy and occur south of where the snow will fall. Total accretion will be limited to 1-2mm, but this will still be enough for untreated surfaces to become slippery.

The rdps model showing total snowfall as of 2pm mt on Saturday. courtesy of WeatherBell.

To the south of the passage of this system, it’s a completely different story. High temperatures on Saturday are expected to be well above seasonal throughout Central and Southern Alberta, climbing into the double digits and maybe approaching the 20°C mark closer to the US border.

The first round of strong winds will also be found south of the system that will be tracking through Northern Alberta. The winds will start to pick up overnight Friday and peak Saturday morning. Wind gusts of 70-90km/h are expected through the Foothills and stretching across the width of the province to the north of Edmonton. Meanwhile, slightly weaker gusts, in the 50-70km/h range, will impact much of the rest of Central and Southern Alberta.

The rdps model showing showing wind gusts on Saturday at 11am mt. courtesy of WeatherBell.

This first round of strong winds will start to die down in the afternoon and evening for most of the province. However, the gusts will remain strong throughout the Rockies and communities closer to the International border. Beyond these areas, things will become calm for a few hours before the second system begins to make its way into the province later Saturday evening.

This second system is also expected to move through Northern Alberta, but it will track slightly to the south. Once again, snow is expected to fall across a swath of Northern Alberta crosses through the region from Saturday evening to Sunday evening, with models suggesting that up to 20cm could fall.

The winds are expected to be even stronger on Sunday as the cold front associated with the second system pushes southward and also leads to much cooler temperatures across most of the province. The winds will ramp back up Saturday evening and continue into Sunday afternoon before things start to quieten down in the evening. Widespread gusts up to 100km/h are likely during this time and gusts exceeding 100km/h can be also expected in Southwest Alberta.

The rdps model showing 24 hour snowfall amounts as of 9am mt on Monday. courtesy of WeatherBell.

The end of the strong winds won’t be the end of active weather for the weekend. Snow is expected to develop Sunday evening across the Southern Foothills, which will spread eastward into the early morning hours of Monday before dissipating. Around 5-15cm of snow can be expected by lunchtime on Monday from Olds to the Montana border.

Dust Your Shovels Off! Winter Makes its Long-Awaited Return to Central and Southern Alberta

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It’s been a quiet week across Alberta and even quieter across much of Central and Southern Alberta since New Years. For many Albertans, their shovels and snowblowers have been gathering dust while temperatures have climbed into the double digits. This is all about to change with the arrival of a system that is set to dump a widespread 10-35cm of snow to start the week.

Scattered light flurries are expected to occur from Grande Prairie to Slave Lake on Monday morning before the snow becomes more organized starting in the early afternoon. As the afternoon progresses, snow from a system to the southwest will begin to move into the Southern Rockies.

This low pressure system, and its associated snowfall, will continue to track northeastward into the province during the afternoon and into the evening, merging with the area of more organized snowfall to the north. Combined, this widespread snow will spread eastward through the evening and overnight hours. The snow could be heavy at times, falling at rates above 3cm/hr for several hours and leading to rapid accumulation.

The rdps model showing precipitation type and intensity for Monday at 9pm mt. courtesy of WeatherBell.

During this time, the snow will be mostly falling over parts of Central and Northern Alberta, bypassing the majority of Southern Alberta.

The snow for this region is slated to begin Tuesday morning, as an additional band of snowfall crosses into the province from the US and joins up with the rest of the system. This later start will lead to lower snowfall totals here than further north, however, it’s likely that there will be some localized intensification through the morning and early afternoon. This will result in with pockets of heavier snowfall, that will quickly drive up the accumulations in impacted areas.

The snow will start to taper off, from west to east, in the mid to late morning hours on Tuesday. The snow will persist across Eastern Alberta throughout the afternoon before it begins to dissipate through the evening and exit the province by midnight.

The rdps model showing precipitation type and intensity for Tuesday at 8am mt. courtesy of WeatherBell.

Overall, Southern and Central Alberta, and into Northern Alberta, can expect at least 5cm of snow by Wednesday morning. A considerable swath of this region, stretching from Calgary to Slave Lake and from Grande Prairie to Lloydminster, will see prolonged snow and possibly periods of heavier rates of snowfall. This will result in over 15cm of snow accumulating. East Central Alberta, from Edmonton to the Saskatchewan border, can expect more than 25cm of snow, with the possibility of locally higher amounts approaching 40cm,

As mentioned above, since Southern Alberta can expect the snow to begin much later than to the north, snowfall totals will be reduced. Snow is still expected to fall for several hours and with embedded areas of heavier snowfall, many areas will likely approach the 15cm mark by the end of Tuesday.

Reduced visibility from blowing snow will also be a concern with this system. Wind gusts up to 60km/h are expected to develop Monday afternoon and continue through the overnight hours. As the additional area of snow moves into Southern Alberta on Tuesday morning, the winds are expected to strengthen, with gusts up to 80km/h continuing into the evening before dying down.

When combined with the fresh and falling snow, not only will visibility be reduced, but there’s also the possibility for periods of blizzard-like conditions across the eastern portions of Southern and Central Alberta. This will make travel very hazardous so please take extra caution on the roads over the next couple of days.

The rdps model showing peak wind gusts for Monday and Tuesday. courtesy of WeatherBell.

Deep Freeze Continues Across the Prairies Thursday Night With Wind Chills Dropping Below -45°C

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Frigid Arctic air continues to blanket the Prairies, which has led to temperatures plummeting across the region. Dangerously low air temperatures and wind chill values will once again reach their lowest point of the day during the early to mid-morning on Friday, with many areas expecting to be colder than Thursday morning.

Air Temperature

Alberta can once again expect to be the most mild of the three provinces tonight and tomorrow morning, relatively speaking. However, it will be several degrees colder tonight and tomorrow morning. A majority of the province will see low temperatures drop into the -20°C to -30°C range. East Central and Northeastern Alberta will be in the colder air, with Edmonton falling below -30°C while Lloydminster and Fort McMurray are expected to dip below -35°C.

In Saskatchewan, the “warmest” air will again be found in the Southwest, where the lows are expected to range from -25°C to -30°C. A large portion of the rest of Southern Saskatchewan will drop to into -30°C and -35°C range Thursday morning. Further north, including both Regina and Saskatoon, temperatures will fall below -35°C, though they should stay above -40°C.

Manitoba will experience more variation in low temperatures Thursday night and Friday morning than overnight Wednesday. Much of the province is expected to bottom out between -30°C and -35°C. Slightly warmer air over Southeastern Manitoba, including in Winnipeg, will keep temperatures above -30°C. At the same time, some slightly colder air will nudge into the Parkland Region, bringing temperatures in Roblin and Russel just below the -35°C mark.

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Wind Chill

Sustained wind levels will vary across the Prairies overnight Thursday and Friday morning. The winds will be fairly light across Alberta and Western Saskatchewan, ranging from calm to 15km/h, which will bring several degrees. The situation will be much more drastic in Eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Here, sustained winds are expected to higher, at around 15-30km/h, and gusts up to 50km/h, which will drive wind chills much lower.

In Alberta, the comparatively milder temperatures will also translate to the least extreme wind chills, thanks to the light winds. Wind chill values will be approximately 5-10°C cooler than the air temperature, dropping steadily travelling northeast. It will feel colder than -25°C in Calgary and the Rockies, -30°C in Red Deer and Grande Prairie, -35°C in Edmonton, -40°C in Fort McMurray, and -45°C in Cold Lake and Lloydminster.

Most of Saskatchewan will be dealing with very harsh wind chill values Friday morning. Wind chills across much of the province, including Regina and Saskatoon, will make it feel colder than -45°C. Some weather models are even suggesting that the wind chill could possibly dip below -50° at times throughout Friday morning. There will be a slight reprieve in the Southwest, with Moose Jaw and Kindersley feeling like below -40°C and Maple Creek feeling like below -30°C.

Manitoba will see fairly uniform wind chill values, despite the increased variation in air temperatures. For most of the province, wind chills values will range between -40°C and -45°C. Wind chills will dip below -45°C in Southwestern Manitoba, where the winds will be the strongest.

Wind chills values and frostbite times based on air temperatures and wind speeds.

With the wind chill values this low, it’s important to remember that frostbite can develop in as little as 10 minutes on exposed skin. Limiting time outdoors will be important, especially during the coldest part of Thursday morning. If you do need to be outside, dress in multiple warm layers and cover as much exposed skin as possible. Pets should be kept inside and it is also a good idea to keep an eye on any pipes that could be vulnerable to freezing during this prolonged cold.

This stretch of extreme cold is expected to continue for at least a few more days, with little relief during the day. It’s looking like we will be back into regular cold weather by Monday morning. In the meantime, we will continue share updates on just how cold it is expected to get.

Dangerous Multi-Day Arctic Cold Arrives Wednesday Night Across the Prairies With Wind Chills Dropping Below -40°C

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Bitterly cold Arctic air is flooding south into the Prairies, sending temperatures plunging across the region. The first taste of the bitter cold temperatures will be overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning. The worst of the cold, both in terms of air temperatures and wind chill, is expected to from the mid to late morning on Thursday, with many areas dealing with dangerously low values.

Air Temperature

Alberta can expect to be the most mild of the three provinces tonight and tomorrow morning, but this is very relative given how cold it will still be in some parts of the province. A majority of Southern Alberta, the Rockies and the Foothills will see low temperatures drop into the -10°C to -20°C range. As you move northeast, the air becomes colder, with Edmonton falling below -20°C. Cold Lake is expected to dip below -25°C, while Fort McMurray will have temperatures falling below -30°C.

In Saskatchewan, the “warmest” air will found in the Southwest, where the lows are expected to range from -20°C to -25°C. A large portion of the rest of Southern Saskatchewan, including Regina, will drop to into -25°C and -30°C range Thursday morning. Further north, including Saskatoon and surrounding areas, temperatures will fall below -30°C, though they should stay above -35°C.

Manitoba will see some of the most consistently cold air across the Prairies.. Much of the province is expected to bottom out between -30°C and -35°C. The main exception to this will be the extreme southwestern corner of Manitoba, where temperatures are expected to stay slightly warmer, hovering just above the -30°C mark.

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Wind Chill

While many who live in the Prairies are used to cold temperatures in the winter, the wind will make the next few days feel even more harsh.

Brisk winds have been sustained at up to 30km/h across the Southern Prairies, but they will luckily ease throughout the remainder of the evening ahead of the coldest air. By the time the temperatures reach their lowest point Thursday morning, sustained winds should be lighter, at around 10-20km/h. Even so, with air this cold, it does not take much wind to bring wind chill values down significantly.

In Alberta, the comparatively milder temperatures will also translate to the least extreme wind chills. The winds will be very light through the Rockies and into the Foothills, limiting wind chill in those areas. Farther northeast, wind chills will drop steadily. It will feel colder than -20°C around Red Deer, -25°C in Edmonton, and -35°C in Cold Lake and Fort McMurray.

Most of Saskatchewan will be dealing with harsh wind chill values Thursday morning. Wind chills across much of the province will make it feel colder than -35°C. Regina and Saskatoon are both expected to see wind chills in the -40°C to -45°C range, while parts of Northern and Central Saskatchewan could see values approaching -50°C at times during the morning.

Manitoba will see fairly uniform wind chill values, much like the air temperatures.

There will be a bit of relief in the Northeast, where winds will be lighter, but for most of the province, wind chills values will range between -40°C and -45°C. Parts of Central Manitoba could see wind chills dip below -45°C, where winds are a bit stronger.

Wind chills values and frostbite times based on air temperatures and wind speeds.

With the wind chill values this low, it’s important to remember that frostbite can develop in as little as 10 minutes on exposed skin. Limiting time outdoors will be important, especially during the coldest part of Thursday morning. If you do need to be outside, dress in multiple warm layers and cover as much exposed skin as possible. Pets should be kept inside and it is also a good idea to keep an eye on any pipes that could be vulnerable to freezing during this prolonged cold.

This stretch of extreme cold is expected to continue into the weekend, with little relief during the day. We will continue to share updates on just how cold it is expected to get, along with when a slight warm up may arrive.

Yet Another Round of Intense Winds and Whiteouts Will Batter Alberta & Saskatchewan Tonight Ahead of Bitter Cold

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In a seemingly never ending trend of strong winds, it comes as no surprise that we’re in for another bout of intense wind gusts beginning this evening and continuing into Wednesday morning. These strong northerly winds will be courtesy of a cold front that will blast southward from the Northwest Territories, having already crossed into Northern Alberta earlier this afternoon.

As the cold front makes its way across Northern Alberta through the remainder of the afternoon and into the early evening, 70-80km/h gusts are likely. The winds will become stronger as the cold front moves into Central Alberta a bit later in the evening, with gusts expected to exceed 80km/h over most of Eastern Alberta and into Southwest Saskatchewan. This also includes the possibility of gusts up to, and even exceeding, 100km/h, particularly from Kindersley and southeastward to the US border. The strongest winds will exit the region before sunrise, but gusts upwards of 60km/h are expected to linger into Wednesday evening.

The rdps model showing wind gusts at 10pm MT/11pm CT on Tuesday. courtesy of WeatherBell.

These winds will also once again be accompanied by snow. Bands of flurries are expected to organize into snow squalls, which will reduce visibility in impacted areas. Given how narrow the bands are anticipated to be, there will likely be periods of rapid reductions in visibility followed by sudden clearing. It is also unlikely that there will be any blizzard warnings issued this time around because of how short-lived the whiteouts should be.

Overall, we could see a few centimetres of snow falling, but with the wind, it’ll be impossible to measure anyways. The exception to this will be in deep Southwestern Saskatchewan, in the Cypress Hills area, where 5-10cm of snow could accumulate.

The arrival of this cold front will be the precursor of frigid Arctic air that is slated to start to flood south later in the day Wednesday, and will persist until the beginning of next week. By Friday morning, we’re looking at widespread temperatures in the range of -25°C to -45°C across the Prairies, with windchills below -50°C!

We will have more details regarding how cold it will get and where in the coming days, but you’re definitely going to want to bundle up for the rest of the week!

The rdps model showing air temperatures at 8am MT/9am CT on Friday. courtesy of WeatherBell.

Blizzard Conditions Expected as High Impact Winter Storm Targets the Prairies Wednesday With Up to 30cm of Snow

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The next Clipper to cross the Prairies, the latest in the seemingly never-ending train of such systems, is setting up to be the most impactful of the season so far. This system will bring 15+cm of snow to all three provincial capitals, along with blizzard conditions to parts of Southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba Wednesday and into Thursday. There has been little change in the projected track of the Clipper since we shared our preliminary forecast Monday evening so many of the details remain the same and total snowfall accumulations have become clearer.

Alberta

Snow has fallen throughout the day Tuesday in the Rockies and this will continue into the evening and overnight. Late Tuesday evening, the snow will begin to expand southeastward from Northwestern Alberta as the low pressure center associated with the system starts to make its way into the province. The leading edge of the snow will cross Alberta through the early morning hours, reaching the Saskatchewan border shortly before sunrise.

The rdps model showing precipitation type and intensity at 5Am MT on Wednesday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

The snow will be fairly light to moderate for most of the impacted areas of Alberta. A majority of Southern Alberta can expect less than 5cm since the precipitation will start off as a mixture of rain and freezing rain, possibly for several hours, due to the temperatures hovering around the freezing mark. However, there will be a switch over to snow as the temperatures drop, leading to the freezing of wet surfaces and minimal snow accumulation.

To the north, the lack of warm air and more consistent snowfall will result in greater accumulations. A large swath of Central Alberta and into Northern Alberta can expect 5-15cm of fresh snow, falling at rates of 1-2cm/hr during the late morning and early afternoon. In the Edmonton area and southeastward through Wainwright to the Saskatchewan border, heavier snow is expected to fall, possibly exceeding 3cm/hr, leading to rapid accumulation above 15cm.

In the early afternoon, the snow will begin to taper off from northwest to southeast across Alberta and it will gradually exit the province during the evening.

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The rdps model showing precipitation type and intensity at 12Pm CST on Wednesday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

Saskatchewan

As the system makes its way through Saskatchewan, the situation becomes quite a bit messier. The leading edge of the precipitation will start to push through the province during the morning mostly as snow, but with rain, freezing rain, and ice pellets in the mix through the warmer air that will be present in Southern Saskatchewan. The freezing rain could last for several hours, resulting in a few millimetres of ice buildup on untreated surfaces. However, as the low tracks eastward during the afternoon, cold air will wrap around and result in a freezing of wet surfaces and a period of snow that follows.

Meanwhile, across Central Saskatchewan, as the snow moves through the province, it will intensify. Heavy snowfall rates up to 4cm/h during the afternoon and evening will result in the widespread quick accumulation of 15-30cm over an area that includes both Saskatoon and Regina.

The rdps model showing precipitation type and intensity at 7Pm CT on Wednesday, courtesy of WeatherBell.

Manitoba

The snow will finally start to cross into Manitoba in the late morning. There will be a much smaller pocket of warm air that will be isolated to the southwest corner of the province, so while there will be a chance for a brief period of freezing rain in Manitoba, the risk won’t be as prolonged or as widespread as in Saskatchewan.

The area of heavier snowfall will spread from Central Saskatchewan into Central Manitoba through the afternoon and evening, where it will also result in a widespread 15-30cm of fresh snow, including in Winnipeg.

During the evening, the system will begin to shift and start to track more southward as it also loses some intensity. This will bring the main band of snow into Southeastern Saskatchewan and Southern Manitoba overnight and through Thursday morning.

In Saskatchewan, the snow will taper off starting shortly after midnight and exit the province by around sunrise. The snow will continue for a few extra hours in Manitoba, starting to dissipate during the early morning hours and eventually finishing in the southeast corner of the province in the afternoon.

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This only covers the snowfall aspect of this storm, but there is one major factor left to consider: the wind. Strong winds are expected to develop Wednesday morning and continue through the afternoon and evening before dying down overnight across the Prairies. We’re looking at widespread wind gusts over 60km/h and likely exceeding 100km/h, particularly in Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. There is even the possibility of damaging wind gusts that approach 130km/h in parts of Southern Alberta!

While the most intense gusts will not coincide with the area where the heaviest snow is expected to fall, gusts above 60km/h will be more than enough for blizzard conditions to develop across Central Saskatchewan and into Central Manitoba starting in the afternoon and lasting into the overnight hours. This will likely result in large stretches of multiple highways being closed due to very poor visibility along with rapid accumulation of snow on the road surfaces.

For the rest of the region, where the wind gusts could be stronger, even a little bit of snowfall could severely impact visibility throughout the day.

Travelling in these conditions can extremely dangerous so please plan ahead, try to limit any travel, and stay safe!

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First Look at the Major Snowstorm Set to Impact the Prairies This Week

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After a seemingly constant stretch of back-to-back clippers bringing brief blasts of snow, we’re finally looking at a proper snowstorm across the Prairies this week. While this will be another clipper, it will be much more impactful, bringing periods of heavy snow to Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg. Here’s a preliminary look at roughly what can be expected, but keep in mind that exact timing and snowfall amounts will likely change between now and the start of the event.

The snow is set to begin late Tuesday or very early Wednesday morning in the Rockies and Northern Alberta before gradually spreading eastward with the trajectory of the associated low. The leading edge of the snow will cross into Saskatchewan before sunrise Wednesday and then into Manitoba by the late morning or early afternoon.

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The snowfall should be fairly moderate as it tracks across Alberta before it starts to taper off in the evening. To the east, on the other hand, the snow is expected to intensify Wednesday afternoon in Saskatchewan and in the evening in Manitoba, leading to a significant swath of up to 30cm of heavy snowfall by the noon hour on Thursday.

To complicate matters further, strong winds with gusts exceeding 100km/h are expected across the Southern Prairies beginning Wednesday afternoon and continuing overnight. This will very likely lead to white-out conditions, possibly even reaching the threshold to be considered a blizzard, in Southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba that will probably result in highway closures.

It’s also worth noting that in the warm sector, along the southern edge of the snow, there will be the possibility of a mixture of rain, freezing rain, and ice pellets which would be followed by snow as the temperatures fall. We will have more information on this risk, along with further details regarding the entire storm in our full forecast that will be posted Tuesday evening.

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