Alberta’s warm takeover: Is snow finished for the season?
Alberta will see a warm-up this week, but before we declare winter officially over, the atmosphere still has a few tricks up its sleeve.
Alberta is set to steamroll into spring, with a milder pattern developing this week that will send temperatures soaring to well above-seasonal normals.
Many areas have already seen double-digit highs, with parts of southern Alberta pushing more than 20°C earlier this month. However, before we declare winter officially over, the atmosphere still has a few tricks up its sleeve.
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This week, milder air floods the province, keeping temperatures several degrees above normal:
A slight cooldown arrives this weekend, delivering the dreaded March plot twist––a potential brush of wet snow. Some areas could even see localized accumulation. While late-season snow is nothing unusual for Alberta, the big question remains: How much more will we really see?
Here’s the reality: Calgary, Alta., typically picks up 40 cm of snow from mid-March onward, but with a dominant Pacific jet stream keeping warmth locked in, it’s looking more likely this year’s total will be cut in half.
Lethbridge (which averages 25 cm) will likely see even less, while Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alta., which typically get about 20 cm more, may also fall short.
How early has Calgary ever said its final goodbye to snow? Feb. 23, 1891 takes the crown, with April 16, 2018 being a more recent early date. The year 2016 is worth a mention, too, with just 1.4 cm of snow on March 17, then 0.2 cm recorded on May 12.
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By early next week, a ridge builds in, pushing temperatures back toward 20°C in the south. And it doesn’t stop there––early April is shaping up to stay milder than average, with the Pacific jet stream keeping warm air in play.
However, cold air will be lurking north, ready to be ushered in, creating the recipe for volatile temperature swings and additional spring snowfall.
Is this really the end of snow? No. Alberta knows better than to let its guard down. Keep those snow brushes handy...because you will need them.
