Temps take a nosedive, more snow heads into the Prairies

Friday, December 18, 2015, 7:39 PM - A quick moving system is bringing snow and poor driving conditions to parts of northwestern Alberta, with snow set to fall into Saturday morning.

Snowfall warnings remained in effect Friday evening for areas around Whitecourt and west to the Rockies.

"Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions," says Environment Canada in a snowfall warning issued Friday. "Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow."

Light snow is expected to continue overnight for the north, from the Elbow region eastward into Saskatchewan, with most areas receiving less than 5 cm, though places north of Edmonton could get as much as 10 cm.

In Saskatchewan itself, a light band of snow continues to push through central parts of the province, though generally with less than 5 cm on tap.

All this against a backdrop of frigid temperatures which, with the wind factored in, felt colder than -20 in many cities, with core temperatures below -10^oC as the evening set in on Friday.

"Cold temperatures and windchills continue for the Prairies into the weekend, though southern areas will be basically void of precipitation," Weather Network meteorologist Nadine Hinds-Powell said Friday night.