Fall cooldown to grip the Prairies this weekend, alpine snow included

Fall-like cooldown and the chance for snow. Bundle up for this weekend on the Prairies

A significant temperature drop is set to affect the Prairies starting Friday, with cooler conditions spreading from Alberta into Saskatchewan and Manitoba through the weekend.

Visit our Complete Guide to Fall 2026 for an in depth look at the Fall Forecast, tips to plan for it and much more!

Alberta will experience single-digit morning lows on both Saturday and Sunday, with Calgary potentially dropping to near 4°C—the coldest morning low since May 9 (3.7°C).

Baron - Prairie temperature normals - Sept 11

Daytime highs across the region may struggle to reach double digits, sitting 5–10°C below the seasonal average for early to mid-September. Regina is expected to see a high of just 13°C on Saturday, the city's coldest day since May 15, which recorded 10.5°C.

In the Rockies and Coastal Mountains, freezing levels will plunge to near 2,000 m, dropping as low as 1,600 m around Jasper.

Baron - Jasper freezing levels - Sept 11

This will allow precipitation to fall as snow in alpine areas, with noticeable snowcaps expected by the weekend.

RELATED: Some of Canada’s first frost advisories of the season issued

The cooldown comes as an upper-level trough deepens, ushering in northerly winds and pulling in a chilly air mass from northern Canada.

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Baron - Prairie temperature anomaly - Sept 11

These below-seasonal temperatures are forecast to linger across the Prairies for at least the next seven days. Keep an eye on the evolving forecast for further updates.

WATCH: Prairies’ 2026 Fall Forecast: Warmer temperatures on average