The freeze-thaw cycle expected to peak over the next few days

The daytime highs this week will be inconsistent, ranging from 10 C to 12 C on Monday and Tuesday, dropping to 1 C on Wednesday, and spanning from 10 C to 14 C over the weekend.

The remaining snow on the ground will continue to melt this week, especially on those days with double-digit daytime highs and lighter cloud coverage.

While the overnight lows will remain above seasonal, they are expected to drop below freezing for the next few nights, which will cause some of that pooled water and/or slush to re-freeze.

These scenarios (freeze-thaw cycles) compromise traction in areas like parking lots, back alleys, locations below hilly terrain and/or in shady spaces, especially early in the day or overnight.

Westerly flow will be evident in southern Alberta for most of this week as a ridge of high pressure from the west serves as the main weather maker.

Wind speeds in Calgary will sit around 15 km/h on Tuesday with stronger winds forecast in the southwest portion of the province.

Early Tuesday morning yellow-level cold warnings were issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories as that polar air mass continues to sit over North-Central Canada.

In their advisory, ECCC explained, “Wind chill values near minus 40 continue. Temperatures and wind chill values will moderate in the afternoon, but may return during the overnight period until mid week.”

On Wednesday, temperatures will moderate slightly in southern Alberta and Calgary will return to a more seasonal value for the daily high.

A strengthening ridge in the Pacific basin will move into B.C. by Thursday, kicking off another warming trend.

Over the weekend daytime highs will sit in the double-digits in Calgary with overnight lows above freezing some nights, which should help minimize the freezing that can occur after periods of melt.