Rain, snow and strong winds moving into southeastern Alberta Friday
Environment Canada has issued wind warnings for communities across southeastern Alberta as rain mixed with snow and northwest winds gusting up to 90 km/h sweep the region Friday.
News
Environment Canada has issued yellow wind warnings for Medicine Hat, Redcliff, Irvine, Bow Island, Elkwater and Brooks, cautioning that persons in or near those areas should be on the lookout for adverse weather conditions and take necessary safety precautions.
Medicine Hat and Redcliff
At 6 a.m. at the Medicine Hat airport, skies were clear and the temperature was 8.3 C, with a west-northwest wind of 22 km/h gusting to 32 km/h and visibility of 16 km. Environment Canada forecasts cloudy skies Friday with rain beginning in the morning, changing to rain mixed with snow in the afternoon and a rainfall amount of 10 to 15 mm. Wind will shift northwest at 20 km/h then increase sharply to 60 km/h gusting to 90 km/h through the morning. The temperature will fall to plus 2 this afternoon. Friday night, rain mixed with snow will end in the evening before clearing; northwest wind 40 km/h gusting to 60 diminishing to 20 gusting to 40 near midnight, then becoming light. Low minus 2, wind chill minus 8 overnight. Yellow wind warnings are in effect for Medicine Hat and Redcliff.
Irvine
At 6 a.m. at the Irvine station, the temperature was 12 C with a northeast wind of 8 km/h and humidity at 66 per cent. Conditions will deteriorate quickly through the morning: Environment Canada expects rain to begin, with northwest winds building to 60 km/h gusting to 90 km/h before noon, then rain mixing with snow in the afternoon. Rainfall will total 10 to 15 mm and the temperature will fall to plus 2 this afternoon. Friday night brings rain mixed with snow ending in the evening then clearing, with northwest wind 40 km/h gusting to 60 tapering to 20 gusting to 40 near midnight and light winds overnight. Low minus 2, wind chill minus 8 overnight. A yellow wind warning is in effect for Irvine.
Bow Island
At 6 a.m. at the Bow Island Climate station, the temperature was 6.2 C with a north-northwest wind of 16 km/h and rising pressure at 100.7 kPa. Friday will turn wet and windy as rain moves in during the morning, eventually mixing with snow in the afternoon; rainfall is expected to total 10 to 15 mm. Northwest winds will climb to 60 km/h gusting to 90 km/h through the morning, and the afternoon high will be plus 2. Overnight, rain mixed with snow will taper off and clear, with northwest wind 40 km/h gusting to 60 falling to 20 gusting to 40 near midnight then going light. Low minus 2, wind chill minus 8. A yellow wind warning is in effect for Bow Island.
Elkwater and Cypress Hills
At 6 a.m. at the Lodge Creek station, the temperature was 7.6 C with a west-southwest wind of 4 km/h and humidity at 79 per cent. The Cypress Hills area faces a heavier snow burden than lower-lying communities: Environment Canada expects 5 to 10 mm of rain at valley level, but up to 5 cm of snowfall over the Cypress Hills themselves. Rain begins in the morning as south winds of 20 km/h shift northwest and roar to 60 km/h gusting to 90 km/h; temperatures fall to zero in the afternoon. Friday night, rain mixed with snow clears by late evening; northwest wind 40 km/h gusting to 60 eases to 20 gusting to 40 near midnight before going light. Low minus 4, wind chill near minus 9 overnight. A yellow wind warning is in effect for Elkwater.
Brooks
At 6 a.m. at the Brooks station, the temperature was 5.9 C with a north wind of 27 km/h, humidity at 66 per cent and rising pressure of 100.8 kPa. Brooks is already feeling northerly flow early Friday; rain mixed with snow arrives through the late morning before ending in the afternoon, with a total rainfall of 10 to 15 mm. Northwest winds will intensify to 50 km/h gusting to 90 km/h through the morning as the temperature drops to plus 3 and holds steady. Friday night brings clearing by evening, with a north wind of 30 km/h gusting to 50 and a low of minus 2; wind chill will reach minus 7 overnight. A yellow wind warning is in effect for Brooks.
Outlook
Conditions improve across southeastern Alberta on Saturday under mainly sunny skies and a high of plus 5, though a wind chill of minus 8 or minus 9 will make for a cold morning. Saturday night turns cloudy with lows ranging from minus 3 in Medicine Hat, Redcliff, Irvine and Bow Island to minus 5 in Brooks and Elkwater. Sunday brings a mix of clearing or cloudy skies with highs of plus 2 to plus 3, followed by clear to partly cloudy Sunday nights with lows between minus 4 and minus 7 across the region, according to Environment Canada.
Forecasts and observations from Environment Canada.
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