February brings frosty temperatures for Calgary and area

After what's been a relatively mild January for southern Alberta, February is expected to bring negative temperatures back to Alberta. 

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the colder weather is expected to continue through the weekend and into next week, with the temperature dropping to –16 C overnight on Friday for the Calgary region, with some snow flurries expected Saturday morning. 

"We're seeing kind of an Arctic ridge building in, pulling in that cooler-than-normal air into the province," said Christy Climenhaga, a scientist with Environment Canada. 

Climenhaga says temperatures are expected to drop into the negative 20s by Sunday.

"What we're seeing is a big change in our pattern from those very mild temperatures now to some very cold temperatures in some areas of Alberta," she said. 

"This weekend will look vastly different if you're in parts of central Alberta or if you're around the Calgary area. Now, what we're seeing is a clipper system … that's moving through the Prairies this weekend, bringing with it quite a bit of that nasty winter weather."

Climenhaga suggests northern and central Alberta will get a decent dump of snow, but southern Alberta might get away with only a few flurries.

"Maybe a few centimetres by the end of the weekend depending on where you are," she said, adding that snow could affect travel over the weekend, especially for those heading east toward Saskatchewan.

The agency's forecast suggests temperatures could start to climb back up again near the end of next week. 

Farmer's delight

LeRoy Newman, a regional delegate with Alberta Grains, farms crops like wheat and barley east of Okotoks. 

Newman says any fresh snow is definitely welcomed by farmers hoping for more ground moisture. 

"The biggest problem with no snow cover is it's like a freezer burn. It dries out the soil," he said.

"That's concerning if there isn't any moisture to protect the land."

Avalanche danger

And for those hoping to take a trip to the backcountry this weekend, Avalanche Canada advises using some extra caution — it's expecting accumulating snow to increase the risk of large and dangerous natural and human-triggered avalanches in several areas.

Following an extended period of low avalanche danger in parts of the mountains, the organization says conditions and risks are changing with stormy weather and new snow expected in some mountain regions.

Simon Horton, senior forecaster with Avalanche Canada, says people need to be extra cautious in the days ahead.

"It means you have to be a lot more conservative if you're heading out, so during periods of high danger, we recommend people don't travel in avalanche terrain if you're going out. That means low-angle slopes, densely forested [areas]," he said.

Fraser believes elevated avalanche risks could linger for some time, depending on the weather. 

"Moving on after this period of high danger, it's still going to be quite tricky."

He recommends checking forecasts and trail conditions before heading out. Plus, it's always smart to have proper avalanche safety training and gear.