Brace for changing travel conditions as Alberta's first snow arrives
It's going to be a wild 24 hours on the western Prairies as an abrupt pattern change brings a sharp plunge in temperatures along with the first significant snowfall of the season
Special weather statements line sections of southern Alberta, with the threat of the season's first snowfall likely impacting travel conditions on Monday. Meanwhile, snowfall warnings cover the foothills, where some areas could end up seeing as much as 15 cm fall through Tuesday.
Snow will make for slick roads and slow travel in spots throughout central and southern Alberta, and things could get especially tricky as drivers acclimate to winter driving conditions for the first time this season.
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The abrupt change in weather conditions is courtesy of a sharp cold front that helped to drastically drop temperatures for much of the region on Monday. Several places will struggle to climb much above the freezing mark to start out this week.
Snow spreads across southern Alberta Monday
Sunday's sunshine and warm temperatures across Alberta will seem like a distant memory as a sharp cold front slides south across the province, bringing in frigid temperatures, and the first snow of the season for many.
Daytime temperatures will struggle to climb into the lower single digits across Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton.
A low pressure system developed late Sunday, and brought some snow to the northern foothills and parts of the Yellowhead Highway near Edson and Hinton.
Snow will ease in the north through the afternoon, just as it starts to pick up across the southern foothills.
Snow will develop across Calgary through the late afternoon, with the chance for accumulating snow in the evening and early overnight hours. This could impact travel conditions, especially as temperatures fall below zero and surfaces become slick and slippery.
"Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions," says Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in the special weather statement. "Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow."
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It’s early in the season and the ground is still warm, so snow will have a hard time accumulating on solid surfaces at first.
Forecasters expect snowfall totals of 5-10 cm in western Calgary and towards the foothills, with lesser amounts likely in eastern Calgary, and east along the Trans-Canada Highway. Snowfall totals will creep up through the foothills and peak in the mountains, where 10-15+ cm of snow is possible through Tuesday.
Things could always be worse, however. This pattern is a far cry from the one we saw in early October 2018, when 32.8 cm made for Calgary’s largest October snowfall on record. On October 22nd, 2022 21 cm was reported in the city, as well.
Quick freeze with plunging temperatures
A solid freeze on Monday night will send temperatures falling as much as -7°C in Calgary and -6°C in Red Deer, potentially leading to black ice on any wet surfaces. Look out for slick spots on your Tuesday morning commute.
Temperatures will stay on the cool side through the week, with some days as chilly as 1°C and readings coming in as high as 8°C across the south. This pattern is a true sign that fall has arrived and that winter is coming soon enough.
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Continue checking back for all the latest weather updates across Alberta.
