Cold starts mid-week, but daytime highs trending up in Calgary

A persistent low complex which has been funnelling arctic air into southern Alberta is finally moving on, but not without a parting shot.

Light snow fell over the region overnight, including Calgary, and wind chill values along the east-central border of Alberta and Saskatchewan remain cold enough that an extreme cold warning remains in place.

As of 6 a.m. Wednesday, areas around Calgary and Medicine Hat were showing the greatest impacts from the past 24 hours of precipitation.

Precipitation areas throughout southern Alberta on March 6, 2024. (CTV News)

Calgary will experience wind chill values early Wednesday around -24, but by the afternoon, both temperatures and wind chill values will improve considerably.

The daytime clearing throughout southern Alberta will translate to wind chill values early Thursday around -30.

An absence of nocturnal cloud cover allows outgoing longwave radiation from the earth’s surface to continue to escape rather than remain within the lower levels of the troposphere where it often acts to warm things up.

Wind chill and time to frost bite comparisons in communities throughout southern Alberta, for March 7, 2024. (CTV News)

According to data from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) website, since Thursday, Calgary recorded nearly 27 centimetres of snow at YYC International, however, snowfall totals were highly variable over the weekend with some communities measuring greater amounts.

March is typically the snowiest month in Calgary with a 30-year average of 22.7 centimetres of snow for that month.

As of March 5, 2024, Calgary has already exceeded that monthly average, recording 24.7 centimetres of snow at the airport.

The incoming warmer weather, along with mostly clear skies, will assist with melting the snow throughout the region.

ECCC data shows 16 centimetres of snow cover on the ground, which means a robust freeze-thaw cycle is likely.

Calgary five-day forecast for March 6-10, 2024. (CTV News)

Daytime highs for the weekend will sit around -6 C in Calgary with lows just below freezing. As a result, streets with blocked or covered storm drains will see mild pooling.