A big weather change is forecast for Alberta and we are thawing OUT
Alberta has been shivering through much of February, but a fresh forecast is hinting at much nicer weather on the way for the province.
We all know February weather in Alberta can be a roller coaster, and Daily Hive chatted with Stephen Berg, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), regarding the warmth coming our way.
Looking at the near future, Berg said much of the province, including Edmonton and Calgary, will be stuck in the -20°C to -30°C range for a good chunk of the upcoming Family Day long weekend and into the early part of next week.
How common are prolonged cold spells in Alberta in February?
Although it may have felt like one of the coldest Februarys for some in Alberta, Berg said that it’s not uncommon to see temperatures as cold as we have seen in the province this month; however, it is on the colder side compared to normal values.
He said that the normal values for this time of year in Edmonton was around the -3°C for a high and -13°C for a low, while Calgary was around the zero mark for a high and a low of -12°C.
“It’s quite considerably colder than normal, but it’s definitely not unheard of to see these types of temperatures, not record level temperatures either, but it’s definitely quite cold. It’s been kind of that whole polar vortex phenomenon.”
When will the weather switch and a warmer spell impact Alberta?
Berg says by next Wednesday, things will start to break, and temperatures are forecast to rise considerably. By next weekend, some parts of the province may land in the positive territory.
“The whole province should be starting to warm up by the middle of next week, of course going from west to east,” adding that everywhere from Grande Prairie, Edson, Edmonton, Calgary, all the way down to spots like Hanna, Coronation, and Lloydminster might see temperatures that are near zero or above by next weekend.
Looking at the ECCC forecast for Edmonton and Calgary, it looks like we just have to push through this upcoming long weekend to enjoy the warmth.
Calgary
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Edmonton
Environment and Climate Change Canada
As for any precipitation, Berg added that there might be some snowfall to preclude the warmth, but it’s simply too early to tell if any is beyond that.
“At the moment, there doesn’t appear to be a lot of precipitation in the models at the moment, except for maybe the far north of the province. But it looks to be… just a general clear sky or maybe partly cloudy type of situation for the warm-up.”
He added that Albertans should sit tight and wait for the warmth to air, and once it does, make sure to get outdoors to take advantage of it.
“Get outside and have some fun, certainly after being cooped up for a little while at these cold temperatures.”
You can check out the full Edmonton ECCC forecast and the full Calgary ECCC forecast.