WINTRY ONSLAUGHT
Arnie Novecosky clears snow in front of Bishop Klein School on Monday after more than six centimetres of snow fell overnight,, and more is expected through the week.
As much as six centimetres of snow fell in Saskatoon overnight Sunday and more is expected through the week — but it’s too soon to know if we’ve seen the last of snow-free streets for a few months, says a national meteorologist.
Roughly three centimetres of snow fell in Regina over the same time. The highest recorded snowfall in the province overnight was in Clavet, approximately 30 kilometres southeast of Saskatoon, where volunteers reported 8.5 centimetres.
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Terri Lang said approximately two to four centimetres of light snow is expected to fall across much of Saskatchewan between Monday and Wednesday. A weather system is also forecast to move into the province on Thursday, bringing more wind and likely around two centimetres of snow in most areas.
Temperatures are also expected to move closer to the freezing point over the weekend, at the same time another weather system is forecast to move in. Lang expects snow or a mix of snow and rain on Sunday, depending on the temperature at the time.
Despite the accumulation of snow expected in the coming days, Lang said it’s “a bit too early” to make a call about whether the snow will be around until spring.
“We know that we can get warmer temperatures well into November,” she said. “We are seeing some warmer temperatures toward the end of the week and on the weekend, so we may see some melting with that and beyond.”
Lang recommends drivers who haven’t yet had winter tires put on their vehicles to do so soon. The City of Saskatoon also issued an advisory Monday warning drivers to slow down and use caution on the roads.
Saskatoon police said officers responded Monday to five collisions between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m., one of which sent a man to hospital with what were described as non-life-threatening injuries.
The city’s crews were busy Monday morning clearing snow, with seven high-speed plows with sanders on Circle Drive and other highspeed expressways. Sixteen graders and eight sanders were clearing snow and putting sand and salt on high-traffic streets. Five sidewalk plows were clearing sidewalks adjacent to city property.
RCMP on Monday reported multiple semi-trucks stuck on Highway 11 south of Saskatoon in the 23-kilometre stretch between Hanley and Dundurn. The icy conditions and scattered vehicles were affecting traffic in both directions.
Environment and Climate Change Canada predicts the Prairie Provinces will have above-average temperatures this winter — surely a relief to many who endured last year’s frigid temperatures. However, Lang acknowledged this is a difficult year for long-term forecasts; whereas some years meteorologists can take hints from El Niño and La Nina weather patterns taking place off the coast of South America (with El Niño bringing warmer weather to the north and La Nina bringing cooler temperatures to the north), this year neither weather event is present.
Environment and Climate Change Canada does not have a prediction for how much snow Prairie residents can expect this winter.