Prairie Weather (Rural Roots Canada) – Unsettled weather, some snow, some rain, but no major storms.
A broad northwesterly flow in the upper atmosphere will dominate Prairie weather through the end of the week and into the weekend. Embedded disturbances moving through that flow will keep conditions changeable, though no major winter storms are expected. Temperatures will be near or slightly below average across Saskatchewan and Manitoba, while Alberta will continue to experience milder conditions.
Snow, occasional mixed precipitation, and localized blowing snow in open agricultural areas remain the main concerns. That said, significant snow accumulation on the southern prairies is unlikely. In the eastern prairies, temperatures remain cool enough to maintain winter conditions across fields and pastures. Despite relatively mild weather in Alberta, there are still few clear signs of sustained spring warmth across the rest of the Prairies.
The chart below shows cumulative snowfall expected until early evening Sunday. Significant snow will be more widespread in northern Alberta, northern Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, whereas southern portions of Alberta and Saskatchewan will stay dry. It’s a continuation of the pattern we’ve seen through the winter months.
Snowfall amounts on the map are in cm.
Thursday
Alberta
A relatively quiet day is expected across much of Alberta, with a mix of sun and cloud and temperatures near or slightly above the freezing mark in many central and western areas. Light to moderate west winds will develop through the afternoon. Northern parts of the province remain mostly dry. There is a chance for a bit of weather action in southwestern Alberta on Thursday afternoon.
The air mass will become slightly unstable, raising the possibility of isolated convective snow showers, graupel, and possible thundersnow with a few lightning strikes if weak instability develops during the afternoon and evening. While any storms will be brief, they may produce localized bursts of snow, rain, or small hail over open rangeland in the southwestern foothills near Pincher Creek. Temperatures across the southern half of the province should reach 5-8 degrees, and will stay below zero north of Swan Hills.
Saskatchewan
Cloudy skies dominate across Saskatchewan today. Light snow is spreading across the northern part of the province, and a second area of light snow will spread east-northeast through central regions, leaving a swath of roughly 5 to 10 cm between Regina and Saskatoon extending toward the north basin of Lake Winnipeg. Flurries will persist through much of the day, especially in central and eastern areas. Daytime highs will remain in the -4 to -10 degree range. Rural highways may see reduced visibility at times in open areas where winds pick up.
Manitoba
Manitoba begins the day cloudy as a warm front pushes into the southern areas of the province. Mixed precipitation is possible south of the Trans-Canada Highway, including a brief risk of freezing rain or ice pellets this afternoon before transitioning to snow overnight and into early Friday morning. Further north, especially in the Parkland and Interlake regions, snow will be the primary precipitation type as the system moves through.
Snow will be the primary form of precipitation north of Winnipeg, with mixed precipitation or ice to the south. Travel south of the Trans Canada Highway will be difficult, with ice forming on the roads. Highs across agricultural regions of Manitoba will stay a few degrees below the freezing point, though it will be warmer in the southeast. South of the Trans Canada Highway, from Emerson east to Lake of the Woods, highs will rise above the melting point.
Friday
Alberta
Temperatures moderate slightly across southern and central Alberta, with daytime highs ranging from 4 to 8 degrees. Over most of the province, the sky will be partly cloudy, although northern and north central regions may see light snow as a weak clipper system moves through. Accumulations will be minor, but gusty northwest winds behind the disturbance could produce patches of blowing snow across open farmland. Similar to Thursday, areas north of Swan Hills will be considerably colder, with highs ranging from -9 to -20.
Saskatchewan
A mix of sun and cloud develops across Saskatchewan as the previous system moves east. Light snow may redevelop in northern and central areas as another weak disturbance passes through, but accumulations should stay light. The snow will move across the north quite quickly, followed by a clearing sky at the end of the day. West of the highway between Saskatoon and Regina, it will be warm, with highs rising to the 5 to 7 degree range. Temperatures will remain a few degrees below the melting point in eastern Saskatchewan, where the weather itself will be rather quiet.
Manitoba
The weather system that brought snow, rain, and freezing rain to southern Manitoba on Thursday still lingers Friday morning, moving across southeastern Manitoba toward Ontario. The last snowflake will fall in the mid-afternoon somewhere in or near the Whiteshell, and then the province will clear out behind the departing system. Temperatures hold below freezing during the day, with highs ranging from -7 in southern Manitoba to -12 in the north. Northern regions may pick up a few centimetres of snow as a disturbance tracks across the northern Prairies Thursday night into Friday.
Saturday
Alberta
Very warm weather is forecast again for central and southern Alberta. Expect a mix of sun and cloud with only isolated flurries or rain showers in central areas. Snow is expected in Northern Alberta as clipper-type disturbances move through the northwest flow. The snow has the potential to fall quite heavily in northeastern Alberta during midday, producing about 5 to 10 cm. Winds turning northwesterly at times could produce brief blowing snow in exposed areas.
In the south, spring-like weather continues with mild air from the Pacific continuing its influence. South of the Trans Canada Highway, expect highs from 11 to 17 degrees. It will be windy in southern Alberta, where sustained winds could reach 50 km/h east of Highway 2. Monitor forecasts for wind warnings. Temperatures all the way up to the 57th parallel will climb above zero.
Saskatchewan
Very warm! Double-digit high temperatures can be expected in southwestern Saskatchewan, which will be influenced by mild Pacific air. It will be breezy and dry in the south. To the north, a fairly strong clipper system will cross the province, and snow will fall through much of the day, north of the Yellowhead Highway. Surface temperatures in north central Saskatchewan will rise above zero, but with cooler air just slightly aloft, any precipitation is still likely to be in the form of snow. Expect anywhere from 6-12 cm. Unfortunately, this snow will stay well to the north of major agricultural regions.
Manitoba
Expect increasing cloud through the day with late afternoon snow in the northern half of the province. Southern Manitoba, including agricultural regions, will stay dry. It will be warm, with highs rising above zero in the southern half of the province. It will be colder in the north, with negative double-digit highs north of Thompson. Agricultural operations should see manageable conditions, although fields remain snow-covered across much of the province.
Sunday
Alberta
Attention turns to a developing low-pressure system and trailing cold front approaching from the west. Southern Alberta may see a brief pre-frontal warmup with temperatures climbing above freezing before rain turns to light snow later in the day or overnight. Along the U.S. border, temperatures may remain in double digits through the day, with the cold front still to the north.
However, if a secondary low forms along the boundary, southern parts of the province could see slightly higher snow totals, though current guidance still points to modest accumulations. While there is much overall uncertainty over how things will play out, confidence is high that Sunday will bring a change to cooler, wetter, and snowier weather for much of Alberta.
Saskatchewan
Rain! Early day rain is anticipated across southern Saskatchewan as a low moves across the province, splitting one band of precipitation into two. The northerly band will cut across central Saskatchewan, producing snow. The southern band will produce rain through much of the day along and south of the Trans Canada Highway. Into the evening and overnight, that rain will turn to snow. South of the Yellowhead highway, afternoon temperatures will rise above the melting point. To the north, freezing weather continues.
Manitoba
A low coming in from Saskatchewan will bring rain to southern Manitoba and snow to the northern Interlake. Expect the wet weather to continue off and on through the day, with the more intense precipitation in the afternoon. From the southern Interlake through southern regions of Manitoba, highs will range from 2 to 5 degrees. Further north, subzero temperatures will continue.
COMPARE: Prairie Weather This Week – March 2
