Milder temperatures come with a price on the Prairies

Thursday, October 20, 2016, 7:31 PM - The Prairies will see a pattern reversal this weekend, with more seasonal conditions in the weekend forecast. Strong winds however, have prompted warnings across parts of southwestern Alberta.

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"Strong wind gusts that may cause damage are expected to weaken this evening," Environment Canada said in a wind warning Thursday evening. "High winds may toss loose objects or cause tree branches to break. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions due to high winds."

Meanwhile, a low pressure system will bring a rain-snow mix across northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba Friday morning, with light rain along a warm front through the Interlake Region.

So far this October, much of the Prairies have dealt with wintry conditions, while temperatures from the Great Lakes to the Maritimes have been well above seasonal. However, Friday will feature a pattern reversal with more seasonal conditions for much of western Canada.

"The false start to winter finally comes to an end with temperatures recovering to near seasonal values later this week and into the weekend," said Weather Network meteorologist Dr. Doug Gillham.

"There's the potential for another shot of colder air into the middle of next week for the western Prairies."

According to Gillham, a few computer model runs have shown some snow potential for parts of the Prairies, especially Alberta, for the middle of next week

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