Feeling like -20: Significant Arctic cold spreads into Alberta
Frigid Arctic air brings steep cooldown and snow to Alberta
A cold front is sweeping through the Prairies, bringing an influx of frigid Arctic air. The cold air will push south, driving a significant temperature drop across Alberta starting Friday morning.
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By Friday, wind chills are expected to fall into the minus teens to -20s, with even colder overnight lows.
The cooldown may be accompanied by flurries, particularly near Grande Prairie, Edmonton, and Red Deer early Friday.
Southern Alberta may also see snow spilling over the Rockies Friday evening and overnight, with projected accumulations of 5-10 cm of light, fluffy snow.
Heavier snowfall is likely for areas near Hinton in northern Alberta's elbow region.
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Saturday will bring widespread wind chills of -20 or colder, stretching from Calgary to northern regions.
Looking ahead, the Prairies are gearing up for a snowy pattern through mid-December, as multiple systems are expected to move across the region. A sequence of fast-moving weather systems, commonly known as Alberta clippers, is set to track from northern Alberta into southern Manitoba next week and beyond, contributing to additional snowfall events.
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Cold weather safety
According to the Canadian Red Cross, it is important for everyone enjoying the outdoors to know how to recognize when someone has been exposed to cold for too long, prevent cold-related emergencies, and be able to provide help when needed.
Prevention tips include:
Cover your head and trunk by wearing a hat and layers of tightly woven fabrics such as wool or synthetics.
Cover up exposed areas such as your fingers, cheeks, ears, and nose.
If your clothes get wet when you are in the cold, change into dry clothes as soon as possible.
Drink plenty of warm fluids to help your body stay warm and hydrated, avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Eat high calorie food and drinks regularly as the body converts food to energy which heats the body.
Dress in layers so that you can adjust to changes as you heat up or cool off.
Bring additional warm clothing when going out for extended periods or in case of emergency.
Don’t wear tight fitting clothing or footwear that may impair circulation.
Seek shelter from the wind if you are getting cold, even if it is only behind a tree, hill, embankment, or other landscape feature.
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Be sure to check back for the latest weather updates across Alberta