Winter weather warnings issued for southern B.C. and Alberta; up to 40 centimetres of snow possible

Fresh snowfall for Calgary on Wednesday Fresh snowfall for Calgary on Wednesday. Jodi Hughes has a look at the five-day forecast from the Sky Watch Weather Centre.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) extended and expanded snowfall and winter storm warnings Wednesday as persistent precipitation continued to stream along the southern borders.

Both provinces are showing poor driving conditions including snow-packed and icy roads, as well as limited visibility due to blowing snow.

A low-pressure system off the west coast is supplying the moisture that is tracking west-to-east across the southern B.C. Interior and across the Rockies.

However, a northerly inflow at the surface is steering some of that snow on the Alberta side back toward the foothills, leading to significant accumulations in a short amount of time.

“Heavy snowfall will continue, with total amounts of 25 to 40 cm. Snowfall will continue throughout the day today and is expected to taper off early Thursday morning,” ECCC explained in the Alberta winter storm warnings on Wednesday morning.

Road conditions are expected to be so poor that the weather agency suggested “postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve.”

As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, the 511 Alberta map was showing poor driving conditions across much of southern Alberta.

Traffic cameras throughout the region and in the B.C. interior also reflected that as early as 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Calgary recorded four centimetres of snow on Tuesday with another four centimetres expected Wednesday.

Temperatures will remain far below seasonal until the end of the week, with an improvement starting on Sunday.

For the latest weather advisories from ECCC click here, click here for current highway conditions from 511 Alberta, or here for the latest from Drive BC.