‘Mackenzie Screamer’ coming through Saskatchewan

There could be more slippery road conditions in Saskatchewan on Friday as a new weather system comes through the province.

A low-pressure system dubbed a Mackenzie Screamer develops in the Mackenzie Valley in the Northwest Territories.

Environment Canada meteorologist Terri Lang explained the fast-moving system will bring a mixed bag of conditions to Saskatchewan.

“There are some heavy snowfall warnings to the north and to the south we’re getting very mild air, but (first) we’re expecting some very strong winds gusts  on Thursday,” said Lang.

“We may even see 90-kilometre-an-hour gusts in that southeast corner.”

Following right behind the wind will be a push of cold air which will bring a shot of snow and cause temperatures to plunge.

“Everything that we see Thursday melting and all this rain on top of it, it’s going to freeze very quickly,” Lang said.

“By Friday morning, we’re expecting temperatures near -15 C so folks need to keep that in mind when they wake up it’s going to be another icy day.”

Lang agrees the weather this winter has been all over the place.

She attributes the frequent swings to where the jetstream is.

“It’s been one of those winters.,” she said. “Because the jetstream is sitting so close to where we are, (with) any kind of wobble, we either get really, really cold or really, really warm.”

Lang adds there’s no sign of that pattern changing anytime soon.

The freezing rain that hit areas of the province Thursday caused havoc on some highways, as David Stuart saw near Edam.