Warm days still ahead as early hit of snow not expected to last
Meteorologist says Regina can expect a cold, wet weekend but ‘lots of fall to come’
SASKATOON Snowfall sightings around Saskatchewan are already happening this September, but a weather expert said it won’t settle in this early in the year.
Environment Canada meteorologist Terri Lang said the snow in southern Saskatchewan has arrived a bit earlier than usual, with the average first snowfall taking place on Oct. 11 in Saskatoon, due to a weather system coming in from the west and north.
“For much of the summer, the jet stream was way to the north and it kept blocking all the weather systems,” Lang said. “It finally broke down after that big heat wave ... and we’ve been running well below normal ever since.”
The system now moving through Regina and Saskatoon is the same system that dumped a significant amount of snow in and around Edmonton earlier this week.
Lang said Saskatchewan won’t get the same amount of snow northern Alberta was subjected to, but she added there have been some very warm autumns during the past few years that have made this early chill especially unpleasant for residents.
“The weekend is certainly going to be cold and wet,” she said. “With all the low cloud and cold temperatures … I think people are kind of grumpy about the weather.”
But the snow that is due to fall in Regina and Saskatoon over the weekend shouldn’t stick around, she added. The weather pattern that brought in cold air and got “stuck” in the prairies is “trying to break,” according to Lang, and when it does she expects more sunshine and warmth for another few weeks.
And the autumn doesn’t even officially begin until Saturday evening, so there’s reason to be optimistic that the typical icy chill of a Saskatchewan winter isn’t right around the corner.
With all the low cloud and cold temperatures … I think people are kind of grumpy about the weather.
“There’s still lots of fall to come,” Lang said. “We’re not writing it off yet ... there’s still lots of nice weather to come.”
The earliest snowfall in Saskatoon in the last 30 years occurred on Sept. 5, 1992, according to Lang.