Snowy start to the Easter weekend, double-digit highs to finish it off

Calgary's already seen its high temperature Calgary's already seen its high temperature. Jodi Hughes has a look at the five-day forecast from the Sky Watch Weather Centre.

As expected, Thursday began with a brief weather setback when a low-pressure system in central Alberta brought snow and mixed precipitation to the region.

Daytime highs (0 C in Calgary) happened early in the morning Thursday and north winds created a gap between the air temperature and the “feels like” temperature, with wind chill values around -8 to -10 for areas like Calgary, Drumheller and Brooks.

Impacts on travel were measurable throughout the morning on Thursday and likely to get worse.

The 511 Alberta map showed road conditions in portions of the province as bare and dry at 7 a.m. and snow-covered and icy by 10 a.m., with corresponding 511 Alberta highway cameras reflecting winter-driving conditions.

As that low tracks south Thursday and amplifies the upsloping component, heavier snowfall accumulations are expected in some areas, including along major commuter corridors like the QEII and Yellowhead (Highway 16) highways.

Calgary is forecast to receive a total of two to four centimetres of snow on Thursday and Friday, compared to regions in central Alberta which are along the cold front.

A snowfall warning issued Friday for Hinton, Jasper and Nordegg had been dropped by 10 a.m., and no other weather advisories were in place in Alberta.

With the progression of this system, areas in southwestern Alberta – including the Highway 22 corridor – could also see higher snowfall rates late Thursday. That low is expected to remain problematic east of the province developing into an Alberta Clipper by the weekend.

Despite the widespread instability Thursday, Friday is forecast to be Calgary’s coldest day of the Easter weekend with a daytime high 11 C below average.

Sunshine will return on Saturday, as a strong ridge of high pressure enters B.C. and Alberta.

On Monday, Calgary’s daytime high will hit 10 C – the warmest temperature since mid-March – and Tuesday could easily hit 17 C.