Prairie Weather (Rural Roots Canada) – Spring Weather – Snow and Sun this week

Meteorological  spring began on March 1st.   Though the equinox, and astronomical spring, don’t happen until March 20th,  the months of March, April, and May are considered to be the months of Meteorological Spring.   The days are longer, the sun angle is higher, and temperatures start a steadier climb.    This is not to say we can’t have winter weather from here on in.   We certainly can.  Some of our biggest winter snow storms happen in the month of March.    Such a storm would bring welcome moisture to the parched prairie, and sadly, we’re not expecting any major precipitation events this week.

That said….

Monday and into Tuesday morning, there should be new snow on the ground for southern Alberta, with more snow elsewhere on the prairies later this week.  Amounts will fall far short of what’s needed to pull out of drought.    Soil moisture levels, indicated on the map below, remain low in the yellow and orange shaded areas, including southwestern Alberta, the foothills between Calgary and Edmonton, southern and east central Saskatchewan, and southwestern Manitoba.

 

Monday

Snow for Alberta’s foothills, and northern Manitoba, widespread fog across much of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and freezing rain near Swift Current.  The map below, from Environment Canada, shows Monday’s expected weather hazards on the prairies:

Alberta

Significant snow will be falling over the Alberta foothills first thing Monday morning, and could affect travel in the area.   Most areas can expect 5-10 cm of snow, with 10-15 cm possible in local areas.  Though it doesn’t show on the above map, the snow will also affect Calgary, with 2-4 cm, and the rest of southern Alberta can expect to receive snowfall throughout the day.   The map below indicates how much snow is expected up to midnight Tuesday morning:

 

 

The snow will begin in the northern foothills, moving into southern Alberta first thing in the morning, and lingering through most of the day.  Highs across the province will be near zero, and the ground is relatively warm.  This makes it difficult to estimate how much of the snow will stick to the ground.

Saskatchewan

As the maps above show, snow will also fall in southern Saskatchewan Monday.  The system bringing snow to the prairies will track into Ontario Monday, dragging a cold front through the prairies.  Most of the snow in southern Saskatchewan will fall south of the Trans Canada highway,  with the highest amounts in the Cypress Hills due to upslope enhancement.    Cypress Hills could receive 10 cm, while amounts elsewhere in southern Saskatchewan will be closer to the 2-4 cm range.  The southern Saskatchewan snow will taper off into the evening.

Temperatures in Saskatchewan will remain mild, considering the snowfall, with highs across the province near zero.   Light to moderate snow is forecast from another system that will affect northern Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba, though it will, unfortunately, be well away from agricultural concerns.

Manitoba

The snow affecting Alberta and Saskatchewan Monday will head south into the US, just grazing the west side of southern Manitoba.   As a result, most agricultural areas in Manitoba will miss out on the snowfall, though a few flakes can be expected between Brandon and the Saskatchewan boundary.    Another system will bring snow to northern Manitoba, but amounts there will be light to moderate.  In southeastern Manitoba, east of Highway 12, high temperatures could climb to 5-10 degrees.   Elsewhere, highs will be near zero.

 

Tuesday

Alberta

After Monday’s active weather, things get a lot quieter for Tuesday and the rest of the week.   High pressure will build over the province.   The remnants of Monday’s snow will taper off Tuesday morning, with mainly sunny conditions for the remainder of the day.   Much of whatever fresh snow remains on the ground will either melt or evaporate in the sunshine, as temperatures climb to about 5 degrees across most of the province.   From Fort Macleod to High River, high temperatures could get close to 10 degrees,  ensuring the quick disappearance of most of the snow.

Saskatchewan

It’s likely that light snow will still be falling early Tuesday morning south of the Trans Canada highway.   As high pressure moves in from Alberta later in the day, most of the snow will head south into Montana and North Dakota.  There will be some snow continuing to linger through the day in southeastern Saskatchewan.   Elsewhere, after the snow is gone, the sky will likely remain mainly cloudy.  Highs across Saskatchewan will range from 0 to -5 Tuesday.

Manitoba

Cooler weather is expected for Manitoba on Tuesday, with afternoon temperatures ranging from -5 to -10 across southern and central regions.   Further north, around Churchill and York Factory, highs will remain near -20.   In the south, there will be scattered snow showers, with minimal accumulation.  The snow showers could continue through the day and into the evening up until midnight.

 

Wednesday

Alberta

No significant weather is expected in Alberta Wednesday.  It will dry, sunny, and warm across the province, and the wind, in most areas, will be calm to non-existent.  Along the eastern slopes of the foothills and across most of southern Alberta, temperatures could climb as high as 10 degrees, with highs near the melting point across most of the rest of the province.

Saskatchewan

Warm weather will extend into Saskatchewan with a westerly flow of mild Pacific air.   Highs in the south will be slightly above zero, and in central and northern areas, slightly below zero.  A Low pressure system will develop in northern Saskatchewan early in the morning, and cross over into Manitoba by the end of the day.   There will be snow with the low, and along a cold front as it drags into central Saskatchewan late in the day.   Snow amounts will be rather light, and while most of the snow will be in northern regions, late in the day, a band of snow could extend as far south as Esterhazy.

Manitoba

Mild Pacific air dominates most of Manitoba Wednesday, though it will continue to be bitterly cold in the far north.   South of Thompson, highs across 2/3rds of the province will range from -5 to +5.   And in that mild weather, it will snow.   At least in the interlake and parts of northern Manitoba.  The snow comes from a low pressure system, and its associated cold front progressing from west to east across northern Manitoba.   By the end of the day, as the cold front slumps south,  some of that interlake snow will move into southeast4rn Manitoba, from Portage east to the Ontario boundary.

Because snow amounts are expected to be light, and because the snow’s moving through fairly quickly,  snowfall amounts will be light.   Very little of Manitoba’s agricultural land will benefit from this snow.

 

Thursday

Alberta

Quiet weather continues in Alberta on Thursday, with another sunny, calm, warm day, with temperatures will range from 0-10 degrees in the afternoon.    As one may expect, the warmest region extends from Calgary south to the US border and east to Medicine Hat.    No significant weather is expected in Alberta Thursday.

Saskatchewan

If you think of an imaginary line north-south, bisecting Saskatchewan down the middle, west of the line, highs will reach 0 to 5 degrees, and east of the line 0 to -5.    Near Maple Creek, it could be even warmer, with highs ranging from 5 to 10.    It will be mild, with a light westerly wind.   Other than a few afternoon flurries along Highway 16 between Saskatoon and the Manitoba boundary,  there won’t be much in the way of active weather in Saskatchewan on Thursday.

Manitoba

Behind the Wednesday cold front, it will be considerably cooler Thursday in Manitoba. From the Interlake into northern Manitoba, temperatures will fall below average, with highs of -10 to -15.  Across Southern Manitoba, highs will be within a few degrees of -5.   In the late afternoon and early evening, a weak disturbance will bring snow in from central Saskatchewan.   In the late afternoon, the snow will stretch along a thin line from Dauphin to Falcon Lake.   Into the evening,  that line of snow will move south, affecting most of southern Manitoba.   It’ll be light snow, won’t last long, leaving little accumulation behind.

Friday

Alberta

The mild Pacific air that has brought warm weather to Alberta ever since the snow ended Monday, will become even warmer on Friday.   From Calgary to Lethbridge, southern Alberta has a chance at double digit high temperatures, and in the rest of the province, high temperatures are expected to exceed the melting point.  The westerly wind that has prevailed thus far during the week, will shift to the WSW, pushing the mild air to the far northern reaches of the province.   There continues to be no drought relief, as the entire province will be under a mainly sunny sky with no significant weather event.

Saskatchewan

The westerly wind continues, and warm Pacific air c0ntinues to dominate with temperatures rising to nearly 10 degrees in southwestern Saskatchewan, and reaching a range between 0 and 5 degrees across the rest of the province.   A weak low near the town of Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, will bring snow to north central Saskatchewan in the afternoon.  The system will be quite weak, and snowfall is expected to be light.

Manitoba

After Thursday’s colder weather, mild air returns, and temperatures climb above the melting point in southwestern and west central Manitoba.  Elsewhere, high temperatures will range from 0 to -10.   A low in west central Saskatchewan will generate snow through the afternoon in most of Manitoba north of Lake Manitoba.   As the low moves across central Manitoba, snow will continue to fall in the interlake and northeastern Manitoba, moving southward toward the Red River Valley.   Snowfall amounts are expected to be light, except perhaps, over the southern basin of Lake Winnipeg during the evening, where the snow will fall harder near the centre of the Low.

 

Saturday

Alberta

The weekend will be very warm across the prairies.  On Saturday, with a westerly wind continuing to bring in mild Pacific air, temperatures in southern and central Alberta will climb into double digits.  In many areas, particularly around Edmonton and Athabasca, this could be the warmest day so far this season.  Only in the far northern reaches of Alberta are temperatures expected to remain below zero all day long.   And in that same northern area, it will snow.   A weak Low will travel across northern Alberta Saturday, bringing snow to the forests of the far north.   No beneficial moisture is expected in agricultural regions.

Saskatchewan

A low pressure system in northern Alberta will move into Saskatchewan Saturday afternoon, and will spread snow across the northern third of the province.    The wet weather is not expected to reach agricultural regions in central and southern Saskatchewan.   South of the snowy weather, it will be a warm day, with temperatures above the melting point.   West of Moose Jaw, along and south of  the Trans Canada highway, temperatures are expected to climb into the teens during the afternoon.

Manitoba

Warm conditions are expected across the province, especially south of the lakes, and between Lakes Manitoba and Winnipegosis and the Saskatchewan boundary.   To the north,  highs in the 0 to -5 range are anticipated.   The  day will begin with dry weather, but in the afternoon,  snow from a Low in northcentral Saskatchewan will move into Manitoba, and by midnight, there will be a widespread area of snow north of the Lakes, and between Lake Winnipeg and the Ontario boundary.    Southern Manitoba’s farmland is not expected to receive any of the snow.

 

Sunday

Alberta

After a long string of quiet weather days, active weather returns to parts of Alberta.

A low pressure system, known as an Alberta Clipper will form Sunday morning just northeast of Banff.   To the north, snow is expected, with estimated totals shown on the map above.   The heaviest snow is expected to fall near Jasper.   The system will provide beneficial snow to the agricultural areas in the Peace Region and near Grande Prairie, and to the farms north of Edmonton.   Unfortunately, the drier areas of central and southwestern Alberta won’t receive quite as much moisture on Sunday.    There are indications, though, that as the Clipper moves toward southern Saskatchewan on Monday, it will pull its moisture into central and southern Alberta.   South of the snowy regions shown in the above map, it will get quite warm, with temperatures reaching the high teens east of Highway 23, the low teens are expected elsewhere across most of southern and central Alberta.

Saskatchewan

As the map above indicates, most of Saskatchewan will be dry on Sunday.   And, as the map below shows, Sunday afternoon will be quite warm across the southern 2/3 of the province.   In southwestern Saskatchewan, it will be exceptionally warm.

 

The above map shows temperatures expected in the mid-afternoon.   Most of the province will be dry, and the south will be mainly sunny.   There is, though, a chance of a few scattered snow showers in central Saskatchewan in the early afternoon.    It’s just a chance, and if it happens, snowfall amounts will be minor.

Manitoba

A low pressure system crossing central Manitoba will spread snow to central and northern regions of the province on Sunday.  The low will zip through quite fast, so accumulations should remain under 10 cm.    In the south, a west to northwest wind prevails, and as the temperature map shows, highs above the melting point are expected in the southern half of the province, with double digit highs possible in the Red River Valley.

A Personal Note

This is my anniversary edition of Prairie Weather This Week.  It was the end of February of 2024 that I began writing these weekly updates, and, I hope that over the past 12 months, the information provided here has been helpful in your weekly planning.    And, of course, I hope to continue providing that value going forward.   Feedback is always welcome!   If you feel there is anything I can add or subtract from these posts in order to improve them, please let me know.   Just click on the Contact Us button at the top of this page.

 

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