Travel remains treacherous as Alberta endures significant snowfall
Thursday will be another day of heavy snow and travel interruptions in central and southern Alberta as a wintry storm lingers in the province
Cold air and an inflow of Pacific moisture is making for a very messy start to spring in Alberta.
A multi-day snowfall event, which has sparked snowfall warnings and special weather statements across central and southern Alberta, will continue into Thursday. Dangerous road conditions have been reported and are likely to remain on Thursday as the snow continues.
DON’T MISS: B.C., Alberta quickly spring into record warmth, even hotter values ahead
By the time it wraps up Friday, some locales could see upwards of 30 cm, with Calgary potentially seeing somewhere in the 15-20 cm range. By midday Wednesday, 9 cm of snow was reported in Calgary.
The good news, however, is the snow will be hitting areas in desperate need of precipitation amid ongoing drought conditions.
Thursday: Multi-day snowfall event will hinder travel
Expect the light, fluffy variety of snow since temperatures will be well below freezing, meaning it will continue to pile up quickly. Snowfall rates will pick up again into Thursday morning, especially for areas south of Calgary.
Bursts of locally heavy flurries, blowing snow and upsloping snow will make for hazardous driving conditions and reduced visibilities, so take caution when commuting Thursday.
The Trans-Canada and QE2 highways will see more impacts for Thursday commutes.
Up to 30 cm possible through Thursday in parts of southern Alberta, with 15-20 cm potentially for Calgary –– a good portion that will happen on Wednesday alone. It will mark some of the most significant accumulations we’ve seen in more than six months.
WATCH: Patio weather turns to winter wonderland in Calgary
There is some benefit to this blast of snow - the highest snowfall totals are expected in areas in the province most impacted by extreme drought conditions. Accumulations will help to reduce the precipitation deficit.
Much lower snowfall totals are anticipated across Edmonton, where about 5 cm could fall with this storm.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on your forecast across Alberta.
