Snowfall warnings now include Calgary as system stalls out in southern Alberta

Snowfall in Calgary on Friday. Jodi Hughes has a look at the five-day forecast from the Sky Watch Weather Centre.

As expected, snow began falling on Thursday in central and southern Alberta as well as throughout the B.C. interior.

The ridge of high pressure that elevated temperatures Thursday is now assisting in steering the frontal system that moved in from northern Alberta and will lead to persistent snowfall in southern Alberta throughout the day Friday.

In their yellow-level snowfall warning Environment and Climate Change Canada explained, “Heavy snowfall with total amounts of 15 to 30 cm is expected today. Snowfall will intensify this morning and continue through the day. The heaviest snow will be in foothills and in the vicinity of the Cypress Hills.”

Calgary is expecting between five to 15 centimetres of snow on Friday.

By the start of the Friday morning commute the main thoroughfares in Calgary were mostly wet and slushy, but secondary roadways, side streets, intersections, on and off-ramps and parking lots largely were a combination of snow- and ice-covered, with some areas deceivingly slick as snow sits on top of a layer of ice.

As of 7:15 a.m., the wind was quite light around Calgary and visibility was limited in some areas.

Visibility was also limited along the QEII and along some of the higher elevation highways in B.C.

The unofficial daytime high in Calgary on Thursday was 9 C which enhanced melting and warmed surfaces like roadways – but once that cold front moved in around 7 p.m. temperatures fell quite quickly. By midnight it was closer to -7 C which will be Friday’s high.

As of 7 a.m. Friday all of the major highways directly outside of Calgary fell under the snowfall warning, and according to 511 Alberta and Drive BC cameras many routes, including those in the higher elevations of the Rockies were at least party snow and ice-covered.

Temperatures will slowly fall throughout the day Friday to -15 C, with a similar temps on Saturday, however Saturday will be dry.

By the end of the weekend a ridge of high pressure from the west will edge into southern Alberta and help to push temperatures back to above average levels.

Starting Tuesday, the daytime highs will range from 3 C to 7 C compared to the normal high of 1 C.

The daily lows in Calgary are forecast to sit between -5 C to 2 C compared to the normal low of -11 C.