Major winter storm to hit Saskatchewan Monday, weather office says
CBC News | Posted: December 4, 2016 11:03 PM | Last Updated: December 4, 2016
Expect 15 to 30 cm of snow and strong winds
Environment Canada says a winter storm is brewing and a major snowfall is expected to hit communities along the eastern edge of Saskatchewan Monday morning and affect the region for several days.
The weather office said its meteorologists were tracking a low pressure system that is expected to dump a lot of snow in the following areas:
- Yorkton.
- Melville.
- Esterhazy.
- Moosomin.
- Grenfell.
- Kipling.
- Wawota.
- Kamsack,
- Canora.
- Preeceville.
"Snow, heavy at times, will begin Monday morning and continue through Wednesday," the weather office said in a statement issued Sunday afternoon. Total amounts of 15 to 30 cm were expected. The highest amounts were likely to hit the Parkland Region.
- EXTERNAL LINK: Environment Canada Weather Alerts
The storm system will include northerly winds gusting to 50 or 60 km/h which will affect visibility.
"While some uncertainty remains in the exact timing of the heaviest snow and strongest winds, there is potential for sustained blizzard conditions over parts of the warned area," the statement said.
Cold will follow storm
The snow and wind will gradually ease Wednesday night but that will be followed by bitterly cold arctic air, bringing lows that will fall below -20 C by the end of the week. Wind chill values will be in the -30 to -35 C range.
The winter weather is expected to affect travel as the snow accumulates and is whipped up by the wind.
Blowing snow for Regina and other areas
While the dump of snow will hit eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba, the weather office said blowing snow will affect other areas of Saskatchewan, including the following communties:
- Leader.
- Swift Current.
- Shaunavon.
- Maple Creek.
- Regina.
- Moose Jaw.
- Fort Qu'Appelle.
- Indian Head.
- Lumsden.
- Assiniboia.
- Estevan.
- Weyburn.
- Radville.
- Carlyle
- Oxbow.
- Carnduff.
The weather office said areas along the Trans-Canada corridor can expect to see 5 to 10 cm of fresh snow through Monday as the system passes over.
After that, northwesterly winds of 40 km/h gusting to 60 km/h will develop as a cold arctic air mass settles over the province.
Travel is expected to be hazardous due to reduced visibility.
- EXTERNAL LINK: Highway Hotline (Sask. Ministry of Highways)