Deep freeze sticks around after the snow stops in Alberta

Digital WritersThe Weather Network
Digital Writers

The harsh and early winter-like pattern continues across the Prairies, with another shot of snow in Alberta seeing out the week, ending by Saturday morning.

Yet another round of snow prompted warnings for extreme southern sections of Alberta Friday, and while that should have ended by Saturday morning, it's best to keep the extra layers and winter parkas handy: More cold-temperature records are set to fall, with conditions 20 degrees colder than seasonal expected in some places this weekend. A closer look at the deep freeze and incoming snow, below.


WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Snow ends in Alberta by Saturday morning

  • Well below seasonal temperatures continue through the weekend, Saturday may be 20 degrees below seasonal

  • Below-seasonal temperatures continue into early next week, but recover to close out the month


SATURDAY: REINFORCING SHOTS OF COLD AIR SEND OVERNIGHT LOWS CLOSE TO THE NEGATIVE 20S

Though the last of the snow will have tapered off by Saturday, there will be no letup in the cold, and in fact temperatures are set to fall even further into the weekend, with more records in danger of being broken.

That's especially the case across Alberta, with some parts of the province facing conditions as much as 15 to 20 degrees colder than seasonal.

PRTempSat

BEYOND: EARLY NOVEMBER THAW?

According to Weather Network meteorologist Dr. Doug Gillham, this is unusually early in the season to have such an extended stretch of sub-freezing temperatures. It's all part of a strong blocking pattern that is much more characteristic of winter.

"Blocking patterns in the Arctic are the key to dislodging Arctic air and sending frigid temperatures plunging south, and that is what we will see during the next two weeks," Gillham says.

Below seasonal temperatures will dominate the region into early next week, but with some milder weather finally spreading through for the final days of October and early November as the arctic air pushes east.

Be sure to check back as we provide updates on this extended period of winter-like weather.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Frank S./Submitted