‘It feels like spring’: Saskatoon crews say road conditions are being monitored during winter thaw

Spring-like weather is moving into Saskatchewan, with temperatures climbing well above seasonal. Stacey Hein reports.

Much of the province is seeing spring-like weather, with temperatures climbing well above seasonal averages.

An upper-level ridge is bringing warm Pacific air from the B.C. coast across the Prairies, driving daytime highs above zero, according to Danielle Desjardins, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.

“That’s fairly anomalously warm for this time of year, about 10 to 15 degrees above normal,” Desjardins said.

She said that while mid-winter thaws aren’t uncommon, this one is unusually mild.

The warmer weather is also putting a pause on some winter activities. The East College Community Park Association has closed its outdoor rink due to rising temperatures.

Meanwhile, melting snow is creating slushy roads and exposing potholes.

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In a statement, the city’s roadways manager, Cam LeClaire, said crews are monitoring priority streets and removing loose snow and slush where needed, while continuing grading and snow removal as conditions allow. However, work may be paused on some streets during significant melt periods.

“Windrows and catch basins are being monitored for drainage issues, with boiler trucks and graders available to respond where water flow is restricted,” LeClaire said in the statement.

Crews are also inspecting rutting on local streets and addressing potholes on priority streets using cold mix patching as required, the statement added.

The winter thaw is not expected to last, Desjardins said.

“It feels like spring, enjoy it while it lasts, but it’s not guaranteed to stay this way over the next several months,” she said.

She added that next week is expected to cool slightly, but temperatures should still remain a few degrees above seasonal.