Winter Storm Brings Heavy Snow to Prairies

A powerful winter storm is poised to sweep across the Prairies, bringing heavy snowfall, biting cold and hazardous travel conditions to parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta starting Monday evening.

Environment Canada has issued snowfall warnings and special weather statements for much of the region, forecasting accumulations of up to 35 centimetres in southern Saskatchewan by Thursday morning. An orange-level snowfall warning covers areas from Prince Albert to Estevan, with blowing snow advisories in place due to winds gusting up to 70 kilometres per hour. Southern and western Manitoba face 15 to 20 centimetres of snow, while Alberta could see 10 to 25 centimetres province-wide, with some spots east of Edmonton potentially exceeding 30 centimetres.

The system, a strong low-pressure front, marks an abrupt shift from the mild February weather that has prevailed in recent weeks. In Alberta, communities like Medicine Hat and Waterton had set new daytime high-temperature records earlier this month, aided by chinook winds. Now, cold Arctic air is advancing southward, ushering in sub-zero highs and lows. In Edmonton, temperatures are expected to reach a high of -4 C on Monday...