Friday, November 06, 2020

IN THE HOOD
Nasty, long-lived storm threatens all-time snow records on the Prairies
YESTERDAY IT WAS RAINING IN EDMONTON 
LIKE IT DOES IN VANCOUVER IN THE WINTER

We're well off from the "official" start of winter, but the Prairies are actually more likely to see their heaviest snows in the leadup and wind-down of that season – and this weekend sees a massive blast of snow, cold and target much of the region. Several cities may see snowfall totals blow past not only November records, but all-time records, along with strong winds making for nightmarish travel conditions. For a closer look at timing and details, see below.

Track the fuse that'll develop the Prairie blizzard, brutal weather ahead

WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS:

Snow moves in Friday night in Alberta, lingers into Monday for parts of Manitoba

30-60+ cm of snow possible in hardest hit areas through Monday morning
Blizzard conditions likely Sunday with winds gusting to 80-90+ km/h at times

FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY: SNOW PUSHES INTO SOUTHERN ALBERTA, SASKATCHEWAN


A convergence of two factors will be behind this wintry mess of a weekend. The first is a shot of Arctic air sinking southward across the Prairies Friday, intensifying as the weekend goes on.

Second: A deepening low-pressure system south of the International Border will start a slow track northward overnight Friday into early Saturday.

The result looks to be prodigious amounts of snowfall, heaviest in southern Alberta and much of southern Saskatchewan, from Friday night through much of the weekend.
© Provided by The Weather Network

By Saturday morning and afternoon, snowfall rates will start to rapidly intensify across southern areas of Alberta and central Saskatchewan. Overnight Saturday, the heaviest snow moves into the rest of Saskatchewan and central Manitoba.

SUNDAY: DANGEROUS BLIZZARD-LIKE CONDITIONS WITH HAZARDOUS TRAVEL


The storm will keep its strength as it tracks into southeastern Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba on Sunday.

The heaviest snow for southern Saskatchewan will fall during the day on Sunday but will weaken and linger into Monday morning.

Windwise, the strongest wind gusts will be during the day on Sunday throughout southern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta with sustained winds of 40+ km/h with gusts of 60-90+ km/h. The strong wind gusts will happen at the same time as the heaviest snow; consequently, this will cause blizzard conditions across southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, making travel inadvisable
© Provided by The Weather Network

Even as winds begin dying down, blowing and drifting snow will remain a problem, with travel being difficult for some time after the worst of the snow is over.


JUST HOW MUCH SNOW IS LIKELY TO FALL?


Forecasters are still hammering out the forecast for this snowfall event, but it's looking like parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta may pick up snowfall totals of 30-60+ cm.

That puts several communities in line for their largest daily snowfall on record for the entire month of November, and certainly well above, the average for the month.

Some of those records include 78.7 cm in Pincher Creek, Alberta, set in 1905, 35.6 cm in Calgary, Alberta, set in 1914, 35.6 cm in Estevan, Saskatchewan, set in 1906, and 32.2 cm in Medicine Hat, Alberta, set in 1990.
© Provided by The Weather Network
© Provided by The Weather Network

Depending on how the storm shakes out, there's also a non-zero chance that many of those communities may even see their single largest daily snowfall total since records began.
© Provided by The Weather Network

BEYOND: LINGERING EFFECTS, COLD WEATHER STICKS AROUND FOR A BIT


The system moves out late Sunday night into the pre-dawn hours Monday morning. However, strong winds will continue in the wake of the system, allowing for reduced visibilities and blowing or drifting snow to persist into early next week.

Colder weather will finally spread into the eastern Prairies as the storm departs, as well, and Arctic air will dominate across the Prairies early and mid-next week, but temperatures will recover to near or above seasonal late-week and weekend.

Be sure to check back with The Weather Network as we provide updates on the forthcoming, potential blizzard.

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