30+ cm of snow and thunderstorms: Tale of two seasons on the Prairies
A spring storm set is to bring heavy snow, strong winds and even thunderstorms to the Prairies this week, resulting in difficult travel at times
This week on Prairies will be a prime example of why spring can bring a battle of winter and summer as the seasons clash.
The spring storm will bring a heavy swath of snow and strong winds, with a risk of thunderstorms for some areas on the Prairies as the mercury climbs to summer-like values. With uncertainty in the exact track of the storm, the precise location of the greatest amount of snow is unknown.
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However, much of Saskatchewan and parts of Manitoba should brace for a decent dumping this week, with local totals exceeding 30 cm for some spots.
Weather Highlights:
Exact location of heaviest snow unknown but parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba could see up to or more than 30 cm
Travel hazards with reduced visibility are likely
Also a thunderstorm threat Wednesday and Thursday in parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northwestern Ontario
Be sure to check the road conditions before heading out.
Winter returns to the Prairies this week, with heavy snow and strong winds
A low-pressure system will develop in Montana Wednesday, and is forecast to track northeast into the Prairies, spreading rain, snow and the chance for icy precipitation through the remainder of the week. Impacts may linger into the weekend.
Behind the storm, temperatures will fall to sub-freezing daytime highs for a couple of days.
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The storm is forecast to stick around through the end of the week and into the weekend due to a bit of an atmospheric, blocking pattern, preventing the low from quickly tracking east and exiting the region.
With uncertainty in the exact track of the storm, the precise location of the greatest amount of snow is unknown but much of Saskatchewan should brace for a decent dumping by mid- and late week, with local totals exceeding 30 cm for some spots.
Central and northern Manitoba should also prepare for a swath of heavy snow, locally more than 30 cm, as well as freezing rain and ice pellets across the Interlake region of the province on Thursday into Friday.
Thunderstorm risk looms for parts of the Prairies
Ahead of the low, temperatures will be summer-like, climbing into the low- to mid-20s along the international border.
As the low moves north onto the Prairies, instability and warmth will also nose north towards the international border.
With the focus of the severe storm risk stateside, there is the chance some storms track north on Wednesday in southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and then on Thursday, the chance for storms would shift east into Manitoba and northwestern Ontario.
Stay tuned to The Weather Network as we continue to update the forecast for the Prairies.