This last week during the lead-up to Christmas and the holidays we saw bitter cold temperatures and wind chills. Now, as the weekend and Christmas Eve is upon us we are in for a pattern change.
This will start the warm-up for Saskatchewan but is also going to bring hazardous conditions as an Alberta clipper looks to form. After this storm, we are in for a week of unsettled, albeit warmer, conditions.
But there is some good news, if you wanted to ensure that we had a white Christmas, you're in luck.
Not just that, we look to have what Environment and Climate Change Canada classifies as a "Perfect Christmas". This is one where there are at least two centimetres of snow on the ground and where snow is in the air (i.e. falling) sometime on Christmas Day.
We are likely to have quite a bit of fresh snowfall on the ground when everyone wakes up on Christmas morning from the low.
Snowfall projections for Dec. 24 - Dec. 26 are varied across the province, with Weyburn and Estevan topping the list at 18 cm. (CTV News)
This Alberta clipper looks to form this afternoon over Alberta and will move eastward this evening and overnight. It will also be fuelled with Pacific moisture. The precipitation will start in the southwest, and it looks to be a bit of a wintery mix with snow, freezing rain and rain expected.
After that, as it moves to the east conditions appear to be more on the snowy side of things, but south central Saskatchewan could see some wintery mix as well. Regina likely will just see snow but from Maple Creek to Assiniboia there is the risk of some more freezing rain.
Why? Well, there are a few factors impacting the warmer temperatures wrapped up in this system. The warm air advection and warm front from the low. As well as some warmth from the upper atmosphere. These are very important because of the rain-snow boundary and the freezing line.
As temperatures rise due to the latest storm system entering the province, freezing rain and ice is a possibility for many in Saskatchewan's central and southern regions. (CTV News)
We are likely to see some warm air temperatures over cold surface temperatures which could bring that risk of freezing rain to the southwest and south-central as this system passes through. After a week of colder-than-seasonal temperatures, the ground will still be frozen, so any rain or freezing rain will bring icy and slippery conditions before temperatures head above freezing for Boxing Day in the southwest.
This boundary is also important for totals of precipitation and snowfall. Currently it looks like areas between Saskatoon and Regina and down to the southeast could see up to 10 to 20 centimetres of snow.
There is also going to be wind. It is Saskatchewan of course. But gusts could reach as high as 90km/h in the southwest behind the cold front, with the rest of the province seeing gusts up to 60 or 70 km/h with this storm. This will likely lead to blowing snow and decreased visibility.
This Alberta clipper is likely to impact travel plans early on Christmas morning, so be prepared to change them. However, it is good to remember that even with this storm, Santa should be okay. He knows how to fly in any condition.
But if you are planning to drive around the province on Christmas day make sure you put an emergency kit in your car and check the highway hotline before heading out. Also, as this system tracks through, conditions can change rapidly.
Stay safe out there and have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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