Banff and Jasper facing weather warnings, up to 20 cm of snowfall expected

Christmas is over, New Years is an (albeit recent) memory, and Albertans have been left with nothing but the icy grip of winter to face for the next. Three. Months.

Nowhere is this cold hard fact more evident than in Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, where Environment Canada has just issued twin snowfall warnings.

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According to the release, a total of 10 to 20 cm of snowfall is expected to come down over the next 24 hours in the Rocky Mountain regions, all thanks to a “strong southwesterly flow over the mountains.”

Current weather alerts for Alberta (Environment Canada)

The snowfall is expected to start on Wednesday afternoon, increase in intensity overnight, and finish off with the heaviest snowfall on Thursday.

Environment Canada warns that the snow will likely fall on parts of the Icefields Parkway, and that anyone thinking of driving on Highway 93 should exercise caution, as visibility may be reduced.

Wind warnings have also been announced for the southern Alberta regions of Cardston, Crowsnest Pass, and Kananaskis with gusts of up to 90 km/h potentially damaging buildings, cars, and trees.

Meanwhile, Calgary weather actually sits at a comfortable 8°C and sunny (for the most part) — though Calgarians can expect to dip below freezing by Friday night.

Calgary weather this week (Environment Canada)

All good warm things must come to an end eventually, it seems.