Polar vortex may bring snow to the Prairies, pattern switch into the weekend
As the saying goes, if you don't like the weather, wait a couple of days and it'll change. Cold temperatures, windy conditions and even a first snowfall for some will have people looking ahead to the weekend, with the rest of Canada in envy.
The cold snap, courtesy of a polar vortex hovering over the region, will be short-lived as a building ridge will push the cold out and replace it with above-seasonal warmth.
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Thursday
Location: Northern Alberta, northern Saskatchewan, central Saskatchewan
Weather: Snowflakes may fly on Thursday as the first cold air outbreak of the year escapes into the Prairies from northern Canada. Parts of northern Alberta and Saskatchewan have the best chance of seeing the snowy change, meanwhile others may not see October's wintry side, but will surely feel it.
All beginning early Thursday, northern Alberta, as well as north and central Saskatchewan may see temperatures hovering around the freezing mark. Into the afternoon, we could record the coldest daytime highs of the season, only just scraping into the single digits. This will limit snowfall accumulation on surfaces, especially the further south you are.
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It's now that time of year where we need to remember the term windchill. Feels like values will peak near 2 for Cold Lake through to Regina Thursday afternoon. The widespread cooldown is due to a gusty northerly wind that follows the system. 60-80 km/hr winds or greater are likely in a large corridor of the two provinces, from Edmonton through to Estevan.
The weekend and beyond
Remember it is October, and it's a month where unusually warm temperatures are just as normal as a Prairie snowfall. That’s where things will take a turn for the better into the weekend!
Alberta will be the envy of Canada with temperatures peaking into the low-mid 20s making it the place to be as the rest of Canada is cooler.
Temperatures will remain in the 20’s over the weekend before cooling after Thanksgiving. Along with those milder temperatures, there isn’t any precipitation expected, unlike many parts of the country.
Thumbnail courtesy of James McDonall.
Be sure to check back for the latest weather forecasts across the Prairies.
