Mild conditions dominate southern Alberta Thursday, rapid drop in temperatures and snow forecast Friday

Thursday, January 2, 2014, 12:40 PM -

From above seasonal daytime highs to freezing conditions and snow. Parts of Alberta will see a dramatic shift in the weather pattern over the next couple of days.

"The City of Calgary for example is seeing a daytime high of 7°C on Thursday," says Weather Network chief meteorologist Chris Scott. "Temperatures will drop below the freezing mark through the overnight hours with snow expected to pick up Friday morning."

2-5 cm of snow is forecast in the city by the time all is said and done.

"And while that's not a significant amount of snow, the changing conditions and plunging temperatures could result in poor driving conditions Friday morning," Scott warns.

Meanwhile in Edmonton, a disturbance moving across the region Thursday morning brought with it patchy freezing rain.

That prompted Environment Canada to issue a freezing rain warning for the city as well as other areas across central Alberta.

"Freezing rain will end this afternoon as colder air begins to push southward and precipitation changes to snow," says EC in their statement.

Ice accumulation in #Edmonton at 9 a.m. Thanks Wayne MacIsaac! #yeg #abstorm pic.twitter.com/T9tbd6fdCB

— The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) January 2, 2014