Spring snowstorm set to sweep through central Saskatchewan on Wednesday

A large part of central Saskatchewan could get hit with heavy snow this week.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement on Tuesday, covering an area stretching from the Alberta border to the Manitoba border, including in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, the Battlefords, Yorkton, Melfort, Meadow Lake and Hudson Bay, with heavy snow expected to begin overnight on Tuesday and throughout the day on Wednesday.

Read more:

• Low-pressure system could bring ‘heavy snowfall’ to central Saskatchewan on Wednesday
• Spring runoff outlook mixed across Saskatchewan: Water Security Agency
• It’s officially spring, but there’s more snow on the way for Saskatchewan

Meteorologist Danielle Desjardins said 10-15 centimetres of snow could fall by Wednesday night.

“It’s going to be a lot of snow in a short period of time,” said Desjardins.

“It’s not really a surprising situation, but of course when you get this late into March, people are pretty anxious to get over winter and get on with the spring, so it can be frustrating.”

Regina is just south of the area where the heavy snow is expected to fall, but Desjardins said the Queen City could see a mix of precipitation, with rain, freezing rain and even snow possible.

“It seems like winter is hanging on, but we just have to get through this event and the next day or two afterwards, and we’re back to above-freezing temperatures heading into the weekend and through the weekend,” the meteorologist said.

Desjardins said the heaviest snow is expected to fall around Meadow Lake, North Battleford, areas southeast of Prince Albert, and around Humboldt.

She said the wind could get a bit gusty when the snow hits, potentially causing blowing snow and interfering with visibility on the roads and highways.

“You could see some greatly reduced visibility at times, not just because the wind will be blowing around, but because the snow will be falling at a pretty fast rate,” Desjardins said.

Environment Canada advised drivers to consider postponing travel plans in order to avoid the worst of the storm.

But while the snow may be heavy on Wednesday, Desjardins said she doesn’t expect it to stick around for long.

“We’re going to see a mini cold snap post system Thursday, looking at highs below 0 C. But heading into the weekend, we get back into the warm air,” she said.

But while warmer weather is just around the corner, Desjardins said this might not be the the last dump of snow the province sees before spring begins in earnest.

“Can’t say ‘no more snow’ at this point. It’s still pretty early, but for the next week or so we’re getting back into those warm temperatures, so it will definitely feel spring like,” she said.

By Sunday, Regina is expected to reach 10 C, while Saskatoon is set to get to a high of 6 C.

The latest updates on the weather alert can be found on Environment Canada’s website, and current road conditions can be accessed via the Saskatchewan Highway Hotline.

City of Saskatoon battening down hatches

In Saskatoon, the city said its crews are ready to respond to the special weather statement issued for Saskatoon.

The large volume of snow forecasted can “quickly create challenging driving conditions, including slippery sections on high-traffic routes,” the city said in a release on Tuesday afternoon.

Plows and graders will be ready to clear snow if it accumulates on priority routes. Sanding trucks will mange icy sections.

If more than five centimetres of snow falls, the city will declare a snow event and residents can follow the city’s progress with snow grading online. Saskatoon Transit will adjust service as needed, though service may be interrupted or delayed by collisions, blown-in streets and inaccessible bus stops due to snowfall and drifts.

After the snow has fallen, crews will be ready to clear city facility sidewalks, park pathways with lighting, overpass walkways and the Meewasin Trail.