Environment Canada issues winter storm, wind warnings

Environment Canada issued weather watches and warnings for much of Saskatchewan on Tuesday afternoon.

Meteorologist Terri Lang said harsh conditions will be felt all around Saskatchewan over the next few days.

“The system looks a little bit stronger than what the models were initially indicating,” Lang said. “Certainly we will be in the meat of it late Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

“My best advice is that people be prepared for this event.”

Just after 4 p.m. Tuesday, winter storm warnings were issued for the areas around Ile a la Crosse, Buffalo Narrows, Beauval, La Ronge, Prince Albert National Park, Narrow Hills Provincial Park, Meadow Lake, Big River, Green Lake, Pierceland, Melfort, Nipawin, Prince Albert, Shellbrook, Spiritwood, Duck Lake, The Battlefords, Unity, Maidstone and St. Walburg.

The advisory said periods of freezing rain and heavy snow were to begin Wednesday morning.

“A strong low pressure system will track across Saskatchewan Wednesday giving a wintry mix to most of the province,” the warning said. “Precipitation will begin as freezing rain Wednesday morning over the northern grainbelt before switching to heavy snow in the afternoon.

“Snowfall totals with this system will be in the (10- to 15-centimetre) range by the time the heavy snow tapers off Wednesday night.”

The weather service also put out wind warnings for the entire southern half of the province including areas around Saskatoon, Regina, Yorkton, Melville, Moose Jaw, Kindersley, Humboldt, Estevan, Swift Current, Maple Creek and Cypress Hills.

According to the warning, “strong winds with severe and damaging gusts are expected or occurring” in those areas. The west to northwest winds were expected to have gusts of up to 110 kilometres per hour.

Environment Canada splits Saskatchewan into 32 regions — and 16 of them were placed under a winter storm watch. The areas in the watch include the cities of Regina and Saskatoon.

The advisory said winds with gust of between 90 and 110 km/h will start Wednesday afternoon before subsiding to less than 90 km/h Thursday morning. However, the weather service said conditions “will remain blustery into Thursday night.”

“Snow, at times heavy, will track into the area Wednesday evening, with the potential for local pockets of (five to 10 centimetres) by Thursday morning,” the watch added. “The heavy snowfall will taper off Thursday morning, but some flurries will linger into Thursday night.”

Environment Canada said blowing snow will begin Wednesday evening and continue into Thursday night.

The Regina region is expected to see the strongest winds, with them lasting longer than in any other part of the province.

“The very strong wind gusts over 100 kilometres per hour will continue in the southeast portion of the province longer,” Lang said. “Regina will be in the wind for a longer period of time compared to other areas.

“If you have travel plans, think about postponing them. And if you do need to venture out, check the Highway Hotline before heading out because this is a widespread event.”

The system is expected to leave the province Friday morning.

More information is available here.