Snow!
There is snow on the ground in southwestern Alberta, but it will disappear quickly. In this highway webcam shot near Cowley on Thursday morning, the snow left on the ground by a disturbance on Wednesday April 16, will quickly disappear due to the mainly sunny conditions. Some will melt and soak into the ground, some will evaporate.
Much of southwestern Alberta was under a snowfall warning Wednesday, and significant snow did fall in the region. Here are some totals from Environment Canada:
The snowfall was badly needed, as the area is considered to be in severe drought. And there is more snow on the way for the area. Just in time for Easter!
Thursday
Alberta
A north wind attached to a weak disturbance will draw cooler air into southern regions from the north as the day goes on, and there may be some precipitation associated with the disturbance. A mix of showers and flurries can be expected, with higher amounts over the foothills and mountains. By late afternoon, the light precipitation will have tapered off everywhere east of the Rockies, and the sky will clear out over most of the province. There will be a chill in the air over the foothills, where highs may only reach 0, and east of the foothills, it will warm up to only 5-10 degrees.
Saskatchewan
Snow that has been falling for a few days in the northern forests will finally begin to taper off, and move into northern Manitoba. In the afternoon, expect some beneficial rain showers in central and southern regions, especially near the Manitoba boundary. There will be a north wind all day across Saskatchewan, so single digit highs can be expected in the southern half of the province, with subfreezing weather in the north.
Manitoba
Agricultural land across southern Manitoba will remain dry Thursday, but central and north central Manitoba could see extensive snow and rain. A Low pressure system crosses central Manitoba during the day, with widespread moisture…most of it north of the lakes. Circulation around the snow-producing Low will create a westerly wind in southern Manitoba, and the region will stay dry. If the low is stronger than anticipated the wind across the south could be quite brisk. Due to the passage of a cold front associated with the low, temperatures in southern Manitoba will be somewhat cooler, though there is a chance to reach 10-15 degree highs in the Red River Valley, and in the area between Lake Winnipeg and the Ontario boundary.
Friday
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba
Other than some snow in Manitoba’s interlake, and south into the Winnipeg area, all three prairie provinces will be dry Friday. Alberta will be sunny, with a mix of sun and cloud for Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The map below shows expected temperatures in the late afternoon, Manitoba remains cooler than average, while temperatures soar in Alberta:
Saturday
Alberta
An upper trough of Low pressure builds down from the northwest, spreading cloud over southern Alberta. North of Edmonton, expect partly cloudy conditions. At the surface, a cold front linked to an Arctic Low will drag some precipitation through Alberta during the day. Rain can be expected in parts of south central Alberta, and in the north, moving into southeastern Alberta in the evening. The precipitation will cool the air, and highs of 5-10 degrees can be expected. In southeastern Alberta, it will stay dry and warmer, with highs of 15-20 degrees.
Saskatchewan
It will be a mainly sunny day across most of Saskatchewan, but int he afternoon, cloud will move in from the northwest as a cold front approaches. By late afternoon, there will be some rainfall ahead of the front, in areas west of Saskatoon. Northern Saskatchewan will also experience some late afternoon rainfall. In the evening, rain is expected in southwestern Saskatchewan from Swift Current north to Rosetown. While all this happens in the southwest, southeastern Saskatchewan is expected to remain sunny into the evening, and stay clear into the early hours of Sunday morning. Before the active weather arrives, temperatures should peak between 10 and 20 degrees across southern and central Saskatchewan.
Manitoba
West of Winnipeg, highs will reach 10-15 degrees, in the Red River Valley and to the east, it will be cooler, with highs of 5-10 degrees. It will be sunny across the southern half of Manitoba, thanks to two connected areas of high pressure….one centered in Minnesota, the other in northern Ontario. The only precipitation expected in the province on Saturday will fall in the form of rain or snow over the northern permafrost, well away from agricultural areas.
Sunday
On Easter Sunday, the further east you go, the warmer it will be. While parts of Alberta will get snow, southern Manitoba could reach highs in the mid 20s.
Alberta
The Easter Bunny and other wildlife in southern Alberta may be seeking shelter from some rain, expected to fall early in the morning, especially west of highway 2. Higher elevations will likely receive snowfall. The precipitation will continue throughout the day. East of highway 2, it will likely remain dry, though there will be considerable cloud cover. The clouds will suppress temperatures, and highs are likely to reach only the low double digits at best. It will be even cooler in the rain and snow west of highway 2, as temperatures may only reach highs of 5, and may even remain below zero over the higher terrain in the foothills and mountains.
Saskatchewan
It’ll be a warm Easter Sunday in most of Saskatchewan where temperatures will rise to the mid teens. A weak disturbance will cause a narrow band of showers to move across the province in the afternoon. The sky across Saskatchewan will be partly cloudy in most areas most of the day. The rainfall will be of short duration, and accumulations won’t be particularly meaningful.
Manitoba
Sunday’s weather in Manitoba will be extraordinarily warm. In the afternoon some rain or mixed precipitation will fall in northern regions, where it will be chilly. In the south, though, with sunshine, most areas will warm up to 15 to 20 degrees, with some pockets of warmth near Carman, where temperatures could hit the mid twenties.
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