Brace yourself, Alberta: 10-15 cm of snow expected as extreme cold cloaks the province

‘Twas the week before Christmas and all throughout the city, snowplows were preparing to make roads passable and gritty.

A swath of Alberta already experiencing frigid temperatures (prompting extreme cold warnings in some rural areas) will also be hit with a double-whammy blast of snow.

A storm system moving in from B.C. is expected to dump 10 to 15 cm of snow overnight.

“A low will move in from British Columbia, which originated over the Pacific Ocean,” explained Global News weather specialist Phil Darlington.

“For our neighbouring province to the west, it will bring heavy rain, freezing rain and lots of snow — however, don’t think it is done doling out the moisture just because it has reached the Rockies.”

A snowfall warning has been issued by Environment Canada for a wide swath of Alberta, starting with the Grande Prairie and Hinton regions in the west, stretching across the province — including the City of Edmonton — to the eastern border with Saskatchewan.

The moisture-laden frontal system will bring snow, Darlington said, starting Wednesday night over western parts of Alberta.

“It will be over Edmonton around the time many are making the Thursday morning commute. All told, some parts of the city will see up to 15 cm by Wednesday evening,” Darlington added.

It’s not just the snow Albertans have to contend with, either.

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“In front of this system we have high pressure moving in from the north, which is bringing clear skies for parts of northern Alberta, and with it extreme cold temperatures,” Darlington said.

Environment Canada said extreme cold is expected and many rural areas will see the coldest conditions begin in the evening.

“Parts of central and northern Alberta may see wind chill values close to -40. At those levels, frostbite can set in to exposed skin in as little as five minutes,” Darlington said.

Temperatures will moderate on Wednesday and by the weekend, temperatures are set to reach above freezing again.

Wind chill & frostbite concerns

Environment Canada issues extreme cold warnings when very cold temperatures or wind chill create an elevated risk to health such as frostbite, hypothermia, heart attacks and cardiac arrest.

There are different criteria for what constitutes an emergency cold in each part of the country.

“We issue the extreme cold warnings in Alberta for temperatures or wind chills at -40 and it’s -40 for the entire province — which is different than a number of other places, not only in the country, but in the Prairies,” Natalie Hasell, a warning preparedness meteorologist with the national weather agency, previously told Global News.

When the wind chill approaches -40 or lower, Hasell said frostbite can set in on exposed skin in as little as five to 10 minutes.

“Yeah, -40 to -47 is considered a very high risk — exposed skin can freeze in five to 10 minutes.

0:59 Recognizing the signs of frostbite and hypothermia

Risks are greater for young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, people working or exercising outdoors and those without proper shelter.

Medical conditions like diabetes, nerve damage or issues with circulation can make people less likely to notice of they are suffering from the cold.

If it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside, Environment Canada said.

When going outside, people are advised to wear layers and protect exposed skin with gloves, a toque and a scarf.  Boots should be waterproof, and it’s recommended people wear two or three layers of pants and shirts.

Also, keep moving when you’re outside in -30 C.

“If you are waiting for that bus, don’t just stand there. At least pace around a little bit. Keep or help your body to generate some heat,” Hasell said.

Stay warm, Alberta — spring is many, many months away.

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