Once again Calgary sits under a layer of snow after a spring snow event brought between 10 to 26 centimetres of snow across the city. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, some portions of the province recorded between 30 and 35 centimetres of snow (e.g. Esther: 33 cm, Gleichen: 30 to 35 cm, Gem: 35 cm). In Kananaskis, there were reports of 23 cm of snow. Longview, Didsbury, Claresholm and Carstairs all had reports of 13 to 14 cm. There will be a period of rapid melting and messy conditions over the next few days, with daytime highs in Calgary ranging from 5 C on Friday to 21 C on Tuesday. Water will pool in the usual hot spots, but the unique properties of the snow from this week will mean that storm drains could be especially prone to blockages as the snowflakes were water dense and sticky, making slush likely as the snow melts. One other complication is that most Calgary roads still have gravel and debris on them because the city’s annual street cleaning program isn’t scheduled to start until next week. Overnight temperatures in Calgary will sit below freezing for the next two nights, so there will be icy sections in parking lots, sidewalks, stairways, bridge decks, intersections, on and off ramps and surfaces that sit at the base of a slope or under downspouts. As of Sunday, the lows will be above freezing which will enhance melting even more. The normal range in Calgary this time of year is 12 C for a daily high and -2 C for a daily low.
