Weather causing poor road conditions, localized snowfall warnings

A winter warm-up and snowfall are causing treacherous driving conditions across the province.

The snow started on the evening of Jan. 10, blanketing a good portion of the province’s southwest.

Saskatchewan RCMP advises the public that the weather is causing poor conditions on Highways #7, #14, #21 and #51 near Kindersley, Unity, Kerrobert and Macklin.

Conditions include poor visibility, snow, ice and freezing rain.

The Highway Hotline also listed a handful of highways as travel not recommended Saturday morning, most have now been changed to covered or partly covered conditions.

Read more:

• Cancel that cold: Saskatchewan’s weather expected to warm by mid-week
• Winter warm-up in Saskatchewan leads to ice dam concerns
• Tips to keep your pets safe during a cold Saskatchewan winter

RCMP encourage everyone to check the weather and the Highway Hotline before travelling.

It recommends delaying or cancelling travel if possible. If you must travel, it recommends to stay on roads that have recently received road maintenance.

Localized snowfall warnings

According to Environment Canada, the Cypress Hills region could be hit with up to 50 cm of snow.

“This north wind is piling up against the Cypress Hills and when that wind hits the Cypress Hills, if it hits it just right in the right amount, the right direction, it can squeeze that moisture out in the form of a whole lot of snow localized right over the Cypress Hills,” said Dave Carlsen, meteorologist with Environment Canada.

He said this snow is expected to last for the next day and a half.

The snowfall is expected to taper off through Sunday night into Monday morning.(Environment Canada/Screenshot)

Carlsen said the area is likely to see 15-20 cm but could see up to 50 cm.

“It’s going to be really highly variable over such a short distance,” he said.

The heavy snowfall won’t spread to other areas in the south like Moose Jaw or Regina according to Carlsen.

Parts of the province have seen above-normal temperatures during the day that dip below -20 C overnight.

Carlsen said this is because the province is sitting right along a “front.”

“On the southwest side of the front, it’s much warmer. On the northeast side of the front is much cooler. So in southwest parts of Saskatchewan, their temperatures are above zero right now actually. In northern Saskatchewan, the north of the front, there are temperatures at -30 C. So as that front moves northeast and southwest, that’s going to dictate whether the temperature rises or falls,” he said.

He said to expect to see more temperature bumps like this for the next few days.