Prairie Weather (Rural Roots Canada) – RRC Meteorologist David Spence takes a look at the second half of the week in this mid-week update.
Thursday:
Alberta
As mentioned earlier, this is the day the upper low reaches BC and Alberta, and the weather pattern changes, and the western prairies cool down. Most of Alberta north of highway 3 will struggle to make double digits.
Rain is expected in northeastern Alberta, but the rest of the province will stay dry.
We continue to wait for our first significant snow of the season.
Saskatchewan
It will be cloudy all across Saskatchewan through the day. Rain is expected most of the day in the far north. Southern Saskatchewan can expect light rain or showers in the afternoon. Highs in southern Saskatchewan east of Moose Jaw will reach 10-15 degrees. Elsewhere it will be colder with single digit highs.
Manitoba
A low over Brandon will draw warm US air into southeastern Manitoba, and it will be a mainly sunny, beautiful fall day in between the Lakes and the US border, with temperatures reaching the high teens, or higher. Agricultural areas will stay dry, though there will likely be rain through the Interlake and in northern Manitoba.
Friday:
Alberta
As another atmospheric river pounds the west coast with rain, Alberta will have the effect of being on the east side of the Rockies, meaning the province will stay dry. The early morning will be clear and cold, with temperatures falling below zero across the province. Lows are expected to be between 0 and -5. With a westerly wind, temperatures will rebound in the afternoon to the low double digits in the south. Friday night, the wind will pick up, with gusts in some areas reaching 90 to 100 km/h. Most of the rest of the province will warm to between 5 and 10 degrees.
Saskatchewan
Most of Saskatchewan will experience a sunny, dry, pleasant fall day. However, in the far north, along the boundary with the Territories, rain or snow are expected in the morning, ending by noon. A southwesterly wind will draw seasonably mild air into areas south of Saskatoon, which could warm to about 10 degrees.
Manitoba
South of the lakes, highs will reach 10-15 degrees. Further north, highs will end up between 5 and 10. Frost is not expected anywhere in Manitoba Friday. The mid-section of the province will enjoy sunshine. In the south, there will be some cloud, and perhaps some brief showers in and south of the Whiteshell. Clouds and rain are also expected north of the lakes, generated by a Low pressure system that will bring snow to the Territories. It will be too warm for snow in Manitoba.
Saturday:
Alberta
Chinook conditions return to southern Alberta Saturday, with westerly wind of roughly 40 km/h south of highway 3. While the wind won’t be as strong in central and northern regions of Alberta, they will benefit from the warm and dry weather. Temperatures from Edmonton south will reach double digits, and much of central and southern Alberta, including Red Deer, Calgary, Drumheller, Coronation, and Medicine Hat have a decent shot at reaching 20 degrees. However, within 100 km of the boundary with the Northwest Territories, it will be much colder, with temperatures only near zero, with snow falling in the region. This is because of a surface low that forms between Fox Creek and Grande Prairie, acting in cahoots with another, weak low near the Saskatchewan – Manitoba line. This Low could also produce a weak afternoon thunderstorm in the foothills of central Alberta.
Saskatchewan
In the south, sunshine Saturday, and it will feel like summer. Double digit temperatures are expected everywhere in Saskatchewan, except for the far north. From Saskatoon south, it will warm to the high teens. North of Saskatoon, highs will reach the lower half of the double digit range, and it will be cloudy. North of the 59th parallel, expect rain, and even snow close to the boundary with the Northwest Territories.
Manitoba
Most of Manitoba will be dry, except for the far north, where, by late afternoon, rain will fall along the Nunavut boundary. Highs on Saturday will reach 10-12 degrees across most of the province. North of the lakes, it will be mainly cloudy, but through the Interlake and across the south, expect bright sunshine, and a light to moderate southwesterly wind.
Sunday:
Sunday’s warm across the southern prairies. Check out these afternoon temperatures…..

Alberta
A weak low pressure system forms near Cayley by late afternoon, causing a brisk southwesterly wind in southeastern Alberta. While the sky will be clear south of highway 16 most of the day, the Cayley low will form some afternoon cloud between Claresholm/Lethbridge and Irvine. North of highway 16, expect clouds and rain to develop in the afternoon, changing to snow near Athabasca and Slave Lake. It will feel like summer in the south, with temperatures reaching the high teens and low 20s. In the north, with the cloud and snow, expect highs just a few degrees either side of zero.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan will also get a summer feeling with temperatures reaching double digits south of Saskatoon. In the southwest, in places like Maple Creek, Swift Current, Beechy, Gull lake, and Shaunavon, temperatures will likely jump to the low twenties. In the north, it will be cloudy north of the Yellowhead highway, but it should remain dry, except close to the Alberta boundary. The clouds will suppress temperatures, though, as only single digit highs are forecast for north central Saskatchewan, and subzero temperatures for the far north.
Manitoba
Temperatures across southern Manitoba and the Interlake will rise to the low double digits, while it will be much cooler in the north. A band of cloud will cross east-west through central Manitoba. It will be sunny and warm in the south, and sunny and cold up north. Arctic high pressure in northern Manitoba will keep temperatures below zero throughout the day.
COMPARE TO EARLIER IN THE WEEK: Prairie Weather This Week – Oct 14