Snow picks up in Alberta with the risk for 10-20+ cm through Thursday
Snow will pick up across Alberta through Thursday, challenging some of the biggest snowfall totals of the season for places like Edmonton
Major snowfall events have been few and far between across Alberta this winter, with recent spring-like weather and above seasonal temperatures taking centre stage. But remember, March can actually be the snowiest month of the season, so early spring snowstorms certainly aren't out of the question.
We'll see some areas try and make up for lost time this week, with rounds of snow pushing 10-20+ cm across parts of the province through Thursday. In the Edmonton area, Thursday could bring the largest one day snowfall for the area this season, beating the 12.8 cm from November 23, 2024.
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Beware of slick roads and potential travel delays as the snow picks up, with reduced visibility at times in areas of heavy snow.
Thursday through Friday: Warnings issued for heavy snow through west-central Alberta
A low-pressure system will develop in Alberta on Thursday, bringing snow to the foothills and central Alberta from Wednesday night through early Friday morning.
Snow will start quite light in Alberta's Elbow region Wednesday, with the intensity picking up Wednesday evening as it moves towards Edmonton.
As the main low develops on Thursday morning, the swath of heaviest snow will align from northwest of Calgary through to Cold Lake -- putting Edmonton on the northern edge of the heaviest snow, and also making for a very tricky forecast.
The QE2 will see snow through the day on Thursday, from Red Deer to Edmonton, with difficult travel expected for the evening commute.
Around 15 cm of snow is possible for Edmonton, with 5-10 cm for Red Deer, and closer to 3 cm for Calgary, which will fall through the latter half of the day.
The greatest snowfall amounts with this system will be northeast of Edmonton, and towards Cold Lake, with 15-25 cm forecast. Snowfall warnings are in effect urging drivers to brace for the changing travel conditions where the heaviest snow falls.
The snow eases through Friday morning.
Could this be one of the biggest snowfalls of the season for Edmonton?
You'd have to go back to November for some of the snowiest days of the season so far, with Edmonton airport only reporting one other day with more than 10 cm of snow in January. Edmonton airport saw just over 80 per cent of normal snowfall for the season.
Calgary has seen even less snow, with just 26 cm reported from December to February. In November alone, 40 cm fell in Calgary!
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March is Calgary's snowiest month on average, though it'll be hard to beat out that impressive November total at this point. March is typically the second snowiest month of the season at the Edmonton airport, just behind the month of January.
Stay with The Weather Network the latest on conditions across Alberta.