Alberta is forecast to get a "pretty significant" weather change and here's why

It may be cold in Alberta right now, but a massive weather change is coming, bringing some serious warmth.

If you’re over the snow, we have good news for you– expect lots of it to be melting as we head into the weekend.

Daily Hive caught up with Justin Shelley, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), on what Albertans should expect, and it sounds like it’s a busy time for weather.

Shelley says that a “pretty significant change in the overall weather pattern” is in the cards, with the province currently stuck in an upper trough allowing a cold air mass to remain in place, but by Thursday into Friday, an upper ridge is set to push in from the West, allowing a warmer air mass to move into Alberta.

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“We will be on the other side of normal; we are going from 15 degrees below normal to 5-10 degrees above normal by Friday through the weekend, and looking into next week, we will likely see these above normal temps stick around,” Shelley added.

There’s still uncertainty about how above-normal the temperatures will be next week; however, there is potential for an even stronger upper ridge to build up by that time frame, allowing temperatures to shoot up well above zero.

This weekend will also bring some gusty winds to Alberta, especially on Saturday into Sunday, with gusts of at least 50 to 60 km/h for the area from Calgary to the Saskatchewan border and south into Lethbridge.

As to what to expect when Alberta undergoes a warm weather shift this time of year, a freeze/thaw cycle is anticipated as the snowmelt during the day freezes overnight.

“Take care as you head out and about, especially in the early morning hours. Some surfaces might be icy,” Shelley cautioned.