More travel disruptions as Alberta's late-April snowstorm winds down
Road closures in Alberta spill into Saturday as an exceptional, late-April snowstorm begins to loosen its grip on the province
Expect more disruptions across much of Alberta into the start of the weekend as a disruptive storm pushes through the region.
Lingering snowsqualls and widespread, scattered flurries will stick around through Saturday across the province.
Be sure to plan accordingly and check local updates for the latest weather alerts.
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Snowfall
Saturday will see lingering snowsqualls and widespread, scattered flurries across the province.
Drier weather is forecast for Sunday, with some spots along the foothills expected to see some lasting snowflurries.
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Local blowing snow across rural areas and open fields still a concern with the lingering winds and heavy recent snowfall.
Winds should not be problematic through the weekend, except for a few local, blustery wind gusts at times between 30-50 km/h.
Impacts
Hazardous weather forced the closure of Highway 63 in northeastern Alberta earlier Friday, with reports of hundreds of stranded motorists and local emergency alerts issued.
As of Saturday morning, the northbound and southbound lanes on Highway 63, from Wandering River to Highway 881 south of Fort McMurray, remain closed, as well as the northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 881, north of Imperial Mills at KM110, due to a multi-vehicle collision.
Calgary and surrounding areas also endured scattered power outages due to high winds on Friday.
Long-range outlook
A drier pattern is expected next week, as a building ridge over B.C. may shift into Alberta, bringing temperatures into the teens and low 20s by early May.
This warming trend could increase flooding risks across northern Alberta due to significant snowpack melt in those areas.
Stay tuned to The Weather Network as we continue to update the forecast for Alberta.