Cold will soon relax in Alberta, but will be swapped with heavy snow

While there is finally some good news for the cold-plagued Alberta residents coming this week, with temperatures rebounding this week, there’s something else for them to contend with this week: Snow, and plenty of it for some areas.

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There is the potential for up to 35 cm of snow to accumulate in parts of Alberta, with Calgary in the mix for 10-20 cm of snow.

Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. If visibility is reduced while driving, turn on your lights and maintain a safe following distance.

Travel on Wednesday, south of Calgary, in particular, is not recommended.

Tuesday into Wednesday

A front from northern British Columbia will track into Alberta and move south along the foothills Tuesday into Wednesday. Near the end of this system, the coastal low from B.C. will move into southern Alberta, helping to boost the snowfall accumulations.

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Flurries will develop near Hinton in the pre-dawn hours Tuesday morning and ending before noon. There is a slight chance Edmonton sees flurries during this time.

By the evening, snow will push south moving into Calgary, continuing through Wednesday evening. Areas south of it, including Claresholm, Lethbridge and Pincher Creek, will see some of the heaviest snow: Upwards of 35 cm over the 24-30-hour period.

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The snowfall will be the light and fluffy variety, thanks to the very bitterly cold temperatures. Therefore, expect it to rapidly accumulate, and blow along the roadways with ease.

Drivers are urged to plan ahead, and to adapt to the changing road conditions as the snow begins to pick up.

Extreme cold shatters record streaks

Record-breaking temperatures and extreme cold have plagued the Prairies since last Thursday, with Edmonton airport recording five straight days in a row with -40°C, or colder, temperatures.

SEE ALSO: What is wind chill and why does it ‘feel’ so miserable?

That stretch ties the record for the longest streak of -40°C or colder. During the same time period, three of those days dropped below -45°C, making it the longest stretch of -45°C or colder temperatures for the airport.

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The relentless severe cold persisted in Calgary, as well, as Friday saw a high of only -30.4°C, marking Calgary’s coldest day since Feb. 1, 1989 (-31.9°C).

Temperatures will slowly begin to rebound, warming by nearly 40 degrees over the week, pushing Western Canada out of this brutal deep freeze.

Stay with The Weather Network for more forecast information and updates for your weather across Alberta