A snowy weekend is on the forecast for much of Alberta after a mild fall up until this week.
A total of 15 to 25 centimetres is expected in both Edmonton and Calgary this weekend. Snowfall is expected to begin in southern Alberta Friday morning, spreading northward through the day, and intensifying at night before increasing again Saturday morning and tapering off overnight into Sunday morning.
Environment and Climate Change Canada is warning that visibility may be suddenly reduced during heavy snow this weekend, with surfaces like roads, walkways and parking lots becoming difficult to navigate.
“Snowfall intensity will vary through the day and tonight, with general amounts of 5 to 10 cm anticipated by Saturday morning,” the agency’s snowfall warning for Calgary reads. “Snowfall will intensify early Saturday morning, with another 10 to 15 cm anticipated by Saturday evening.”
Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Stephen Berg said the snowfall, coming after a mild fall in Alberta up until this week, signals cooler and potentially snowier weather through the next few weeks.
“It is a weak La Niña right now, which typically means a cooler and snowier winter for the Prairie provinces,” Berg said on Friday. “But given that it’s a weak La Niña, there might be other factors that take precedence over it.”
Berg added that the weekend’s snowfall in Alberta comes from remnants of the bomb cyclone reported in B.C. in the last couple of days that has moved further east.
“As the system moved over the Rockies, on the other side of the Rockies in the foothills in Montana, that’s where this low-pressure system looks to be developing,” Berg said.
Snowfall warnings are in effect through much of southern and central Alberta, as far north as Grande Prairie.
Environment and Climate Change Canada also issued snowfall warnings on the west coast of British Columbia, and in southern Saskatchewan, as far east as Moose Jaw.
Berg warned drivers to watch out for reduced visibility while driving on Friday and Saturday, with some heavy bursts on Friday, and an overall heavier dose of snow on Saturday.
