Warm spring-like weather expected across southern Saskatchewan

After a long stretch of winter weather, Southern Saskatchewan could be in for a taste of spring this week.

Environment Canada meteorologist Dave Carlson said a strong push of warm air from the Pacific Ocean is expected to move into the southern half of the province beginning Tuesday, bringing temperatures well above seasonal averages.

“It looks like by about Tuesday we’re going to start seeing some fairly mild air poke into at least the southern half of the province,” Carlson said.

“There’s a fairly strong push off the Pacific Ocean happening, and so all that mild air is going to make it into southern Saskatchewan.”

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Carlson said the warm air mass could push temperatures into the low 20s in some areas by mid-to-late week, something far from typical for mid-March.

“I’m looking at some temperatures, especially near the international border, that could reach into the low 20s mid to late in the week; 21,22 degrees for a couple of days,” he said.

The warmer air isn’t expected to blanket the entire province, but it should extend across a large portion of the grain belt.

“The warmth should be about up to the Yellowhead Highway and South,” Carlson explained. “So the Battlefords, Saskatoon to Yorkton and the area south of those locations.”

For perspective, Carlson noted that typical mid-march temperatures in the province are far cooler.

“The average high this time of year is around zero in Regina,” he said. “It’s plus four in the southwest part of the province, and once you get up to the Yellowhead again, it’s about zero.”

Nighttime temperatures typically drop well below freezing.

“Our normal low temperature time of year is around minus 10,” Carlson added.

Despite the warm spell, Carlson warned that winter isn’t finished yet.

“This isn’t going to be it, and we’re suddenly into spring and then summer,” he said. “It is still March.”

Long-range forecast still shows a few systems moving through Saskatchewan before the end of the month, bringing a small amount of snow to parts of the province.

“A few centimetres here and there,” Carlson said. “But another warm-up above freezing to melt the snow.”

Carlson said while conditions may fluctuate, the overall outlook doesn’t suggest any more major cold snaps for the province.

“I don’t see anything really cold in the long term,” he said. “It looks like a pretty decent warm-up is on the way.”

For now, Carlson said the coming week will likely offer Saskatchewanians a brief reminder that spring isn’t too far away, even if winter still has a few appearances left.

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