Winter-like wind chill forecast for many parts of Saskatchewan

A winter-like chill will be affecting most places in Saskatchewan over the next couple of days, but it looks like the province has mostly escaped the early snow predicted by Environment Canada earlier in the weekend.

In a Sunday morning forecast the weather agency is predicting rain showers in northern areas like La Ronge, Pelican Narrows, Cumberland House and Creighton, shifting to a chance of flurries on Monday, with temperatures falling to 1 C in Prince Albert National Park and Narrow Hills Provincial Park.

A small amount of snow could fall north of La Ronge, Environment Canada Meteorologist Jason Knight said.

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Things will be chillier in Île à la Crosse, Buffalo Narrows, La Loche, Stony Rapids, Southend and Beauval, where people will see a 30-per-cent chance of rain showers or flurries on Sunday night through Monday morning, with low temperatures reaching 0 C. Northwest winds will mean wind chill reaching temperatures of -6 C to -13 C.

Environment Canada’s wind chill index uses research from human volunteers and advanced computer technology to present a forecast representative of what people actually feel.

By equating the outdoor conditions to an equivalent temperature with no wind, the index represents the degree of “chill” that your skin senses. For example, if the wind chill is -20 C while the outside temperature is only -10 C, it means that your face will feel as cold as if it was a calm day (no wind) with a temperature of -20 C.

Environment Canada also provides a wind chill calculator on its website.

A wind chill of up to -9 C is considered low risk, Environment Canada says, with people only experiencing a slight increase in discomfort although it recommends dress warmly and staying dry.

Wind chill values over -10 C and up to -27 C are considered moderate risk and bring tyhe possibility of hypothermia and frostbite if outside for long periods without adequate protection, the weather agency says.

When values are forecast in this range people should dress in layers of warm clothing, with an outer layer that is wind-resistant, wear a hat, mittens or insulated gloves, a scarf and insulated, waterproof footwear. Environment Canada also recommends staying dry and keeping active if outdoors.

Southern Saskatchewan fares a little better in the forecast issued by Environment Canada on Sunday with showers but no flurries predicted for Regina, Fort Qu’Appelle, Moose Jaw, Lumsden, Estevan, and Weyburn overnight but a wind chill of up to -10 tonight and on Monday morning.

Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Warman, The Battlefords, Kindersley, Yorkton, Humboldt, Meadow Lake and Martensville will also see some showers on Sunday but escapes any wind chill predictions, although temperatures could reach -2 C overnight.

Swift Current, Gull Lake, Shaunavon, Maple Creek and Cypress Hills will not see any rainfall but will experience that wind chill of up to -11 C overnight.

Temperatures are expected to return to seasonal in all areas of Tuesday.

Knight said the province’s recent trend of warm weather has been a serious change of pace.

“We’re already into October, and you know, normal temperatures for Saskatoon are a low of plus one and a high of 14, and we are finally coming into some days that are near normal, and then we’re going to be well above normal by the end of the week,” he said.

“We’re actually kind of hanging on to some late summer, early, warm fall weather.”

— with files from Roman Hayter

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