Keep those shovels nearby, as parts of Alberta are forecast to see up to 25 cm of snow heading into the weekend.
A strong weather system moving into northeastern Alberta has sparked snowfall warnings, with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) calling for snowfall amounts of up to 25 cm expected in some areas.
Places near Wood Buffalo National Park and Fort Chipewyan will see rain change to snow on Friday, with 15 to 20 cm of snow falling by Saturday morning. Some additional snowfall is possible on Saturday before it tapers off Saturday evening.
Areas further south, like Fort McMurray, Fort McKay, and Conklin, are forecast to see snowfall amounts of 10 to 15 cm, with rain changing to snow Friday afternoon. Snow will continue on Friday night before tapering off Saturday.
“Travel will likely be challenging. Roads and walkways will likely be difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow. Take frequent breaks and avoid strain when clearing snow. Allow extra time for travel,” the warnings stated.
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A wind warning is also in place for portions of eastern and southeastern Alberta, with notable areas including Lloydminster and Medicine Hat, and damaging winds are expected. Strong northwesterly winds gusting up to 90 km/h will develop Friday morning and diminish Friday afternoon.
“Local utility outages are possible. Driving conditions will likely be difficult. High-sided vehicles will be pushed around by the wind. Secure loose objects,” the warning added.
You can view all ECCC watches and warnings online.
Looking at Alberta’s two largest cities, one is definitely seeing more of a snow risk over the weekend.
Taking a peek at Edmonton first, the forecast shows a drop in temperatures as we arrive at the start of the weekend, with rain mixed with snow on Friday, Oct. 23. Alberta’s capital city will remain below average or well below average for daytime highs straight through to Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Environment and Climate Change Canada
According to ECCC, the average daytime high for this time of year in Edmonton is 8°C, while the average low is -2°C.
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Turning to Calgary, the forecast shows a dip in temperatures at the start of the weekend with much more of a snow risk than in Edmonton, with rain mixed with snow and a high of 6°C on Friday, Oct. 23. Rainfall amounts of 5 mm and snowfall amounts of 2 cm over higher terrain are forecast.
The chance of snow in Calgary is back in the forecast for the night of Saturday, Oct. 24, with a low of -3°C, and a 60 per cent chance of flurries during the day on Sunday, Oct. 25, with a high of -1°C.
Temperatures improve a bit on Tuesday, Oct. 27, before receding again for Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Environment and Climate Change Canada
According to ECCC, the average daytime high for this time of year in Calgary is 10°C, while the average low is -3°C.
With the chatter of a “super” El Niño on the way, some may expect to not see any winter-like impacts as we roll through fall in Alberta, which is a bit of a misconception about the weather phenomenon.
Daily Hive previously chatted with Janelle Gergely, an Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) meteorologist, who stated that an El Niño can influence the broader weather pattern through the fall and winter, and might favour milder conditions.
The forecast Alberta is currently staring down over the coming days is driven by a specific weather system, so even with El Niño conditions starting to set in, we can still see significant cooldowns in winter weather and fluctuations.