‘A very active weekend:’ Major snowstorm on its way to Saskatchewan

It was the calm before the storm in Saskatchewan on Friday as another big winter storm system made its way toward the province.

Environment Canada has predicted that close to a foot of snow could fall over the weekend. Winter storm warnings were issued Friday afternoon for the southern part of the province.

“We’ve got a very active weekend on tap for residents of central and southern Saskatchewan …,” Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor said Friday. “It’s going to produce some fairly significant amounts of snow and blowing snow and winds across much of the grainbelt as we move through Saturday into Sunday.

“The areas further to the south will likely see more snow fall, (and it will be) a little bit more of a wet snow than some of the drier snow that we’ll see up in the northern grainbelt.

“In general terms, we’re looking for much of the province to see significant snowfall through the weekend.”

Proctor said the southern part of the province could also experience some freezing rain.

For many people in Saskatoon, looking at this weekend’s forecast could bring back some memories of the blizzard that struck the Bridge City in November of 2020.

Proctor said this weekend’s storm most likely won’t rival the one that hit in 2020.

“That was an incredibly intense storm,” he said. “Typically we do see our heaviest snowfalls and most adverse conditions … as we transfer from fall into winter and winter into spring … We won’t see quite the heavy snowfall amounts in the Saskatoon area.”

According to Environment Canada, snow is expected to fall on Saturday morning in Saskatoon. In Regina, the snow isn’t expected to fall until Saturday afternoon.

Proctor said southern Saskatchewan is expected to be hit harder than central Saskatchewan.

“(The storm) will hit harder in Regina,” said Proctor. “Anyone who’s going down to the Brier (in Regina) and wants to watch some curling, it’s probably best to get on the road as early as possible. (Friday) evening would be a better time to be travelling as opposed to (Saturday).”

Saskatoon was expected to see anywhere from 25 to 35 centimetres of snow, but Proctor said that might be an overestimate.

“At this point in time, I think probably 10 to 20 (cm), maybe locally 25, is probably a better estimate,” said Proctor. “We’re going to see a lot of snow blowing around in the Saskatoon area.”

In Regina, 20 to 25 centimetres of snow is expected. That’s more than was originally expected.

“I think that you have a better chance at seeing more snow in Regina,” said Proctor. “And (it’ll be) wet snow down there, so a stickier kind of snowfall.”

Both cities have plans developed to tackle the weekend snowstorm.