Prairie Weather This Week – Midweek Update Nov 6 |

Prairie Weather (Rural Roots Canada) – Alberta clippers bring snow to the prairies. Chinooks will warm us up on Sunday

Persistent Low pressure systems hanging out in the Pacific will continue to spawn weak lows in southern Alberta, which will develop into Alberta clippers and spread swaths of light snow across the central and southeastern prairies. By the end of the weekend, it will get quite cold in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and very warm in Alberta. Here’s how it works, day to day:

Thursday

Alberta

Yet another, stronger, clipper forms, this time east of Calgary. As it moves quickly southeastward, it will leave a trail of precipitation across the prairies, as shown on the map below:

The clipper will form near Coronation in the early morning, and by the end of the day, it will be in northern Minnesota. As the map above shows, areas in Alberta that get moisture will see accumulations in the 6-17 mm range. The biggest uncertainty is what form the precipitation will take. The majority will be in the form of snow. Rain is possible in the Coronation/Oyen area, though it will change to snow in the afternoon as the clipper goes by and the wind shifts, drawing in colder air. There will be minimal moisture benefit from this clipper, but a few centimetres of snow will help retain soil moisture in some central regions of the province. The clipper will draw extraordinarily warm air into southern Alberta. South of the precipitation band, expect double digit highs. In central Alberta, where the precipitation falls, highs’ will range from 0 to 5, and north of Athabasca, it will be a sub-freezing day with highs from 0 to -5

Saskatchewan

The map above shows precipitation cutting across central Saskatchewan, as an Alberta clipper crosses the region during the day. The system will move fast, and with temperatures right around the freezing mark, most of the precipitation will fall in the form of snow. If the above map is correct, the most intense precipitation is likely to happen in the Yellowhead corridor. North of Saskatoon, it will be cold, with highs remaining below zero, and an easterly wind.

Manitoba

Southern Manitoba will get mixed precipitation from the fast moving clipper. Expect snow west of Lakes Manitoba and Winnipegosis, and rain or a rain/snow mix in southern Mantioba. Accumulations will be light – about 5 mm. The rain will begin in the midday, and after sunset, it is likely to turn to straight snow. High temperatures will range from 0 -5 south of the lakes, and it could be even warmer south of the Trans Canada highway, with highs from 5-10 degrees. Very warm for Manitoba in November. It’s a different story to the north. In central Manitoba, highs will remain below zero. North of Thompson, highs will struggle to climb to -10.

Friday

Alberta

Another Alberta clipper forms Friday. Early in the morning, a lee Low will form in southern Alberta, between Brooks and Medicine Hat. As the low forms, it will be quite warm in southern Alberta with midday highs in the 5-15 degree range south of the Trans Canada Highway and east of highway 2. Positive high temperatures will be reached northwest along the foothills to Grande Prairie. Of course, the clipper will also produce some precipitation. That’s expected in central and northern Alberta, and will be in the form or snow, or freezing rain. It will cause impediments to travel, and it would be advisable to check forecasts, watches, and warnings before using the highways. The clipper Low will move to northeastern Montana by the afternoon, with snow hanging back into central Alberta, and rain falling in the southeastern part of the province.

Saskatchewan

The next Alberta clipper is expected to take a more southerly route, and the snowy day expected in earlier outlooks is unlikely to materialize. The clipper will move from the Brooks area to northeastern Montana. That will produce some Saskatchewan snow in the afternoon, but only in the southwestern part of the province – along and south of the Trans Canada highway west of Regina. The rest of the province will be mainly cloudy, but dry. The southern snow will persist into the evening and overnight. Highs will be near zero in the south, and will remain below freezing from Saskatoon north.

Manitoba

Manitoba will have a relatively quiet weather day. There will be some light snow in southern Manitoba during the morning, but by midday it will have moved south of the border, and there will be clearing, so sunshine is forecast for the afternoon . A Low in northeastern Manitoba will bring snow to coastal regions near Hudson Bay throughout the day. It will be a cold day. All of Manitoba will remain below zero during the day. It will be a cold day, with highs across the province remaining below zero.

Saturday

Alberta

After a few early morning snow flurries in central and northern Alberta, it will end up being a rather quiet day. A big low pressure system in the Pacific will send mild air into southern Alberta, and chinook conditions are possible for the southern half of the province. Along the foothills and across southern Alberta, the warm wind will push high temperatures into the 5-10 degree range. Further from the chinook effect, expect highs between +5 and -5.

Saskatchewan

Early in the morning, light snow is expected for southern Saskatchewan. It won’t last long, and accumulations will be inconsequential. The snow will be pushed away by a rapidly developing high pressure system. That will clear the sky across the province, providing afternoon sunshine, but not a lot of warmth. It’s arctic high pressure, and some parts of central Saskatchewan may be stuck with highs below -10. Most of the province, though, will be a bit warmer, with highs in the -5 to -10 range. Brrr.

Manitoba

Hit and miss snow flurries are possible in the Interlake and in parts of southern Manitoba during the day. The low that produced snow on the Hudson Bay shore Friday will take unusual turn to the south, drawing the flurries into the rest of the eastern side of the province. Western and southwestern Manitoba should stay dry. Accumulations of snow will be minor, and temperatures across the province will range from 0 to -10.

Sunday

Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba

Chinook conditions will develop in Alberta, and strong wind is possible in the foothills and across the south. In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, high pressure will dominate, and both provinces will have a sunny Sunday. No precipitation is expected in any of the three provinces on Sunday. Along the Alberta foothills, in the Chinook zone, highs could soar to the 15-20 degree range, and the rest of Alberta will also experience above average temperatures. It will be cooler in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as the map below shows….