Fog advisories issued for all of southern Alberta due to near-zero visibility

Dense fog settled over southern Alberta late Tuesday and remains in place early Wednesday.

A widespread fog advisory was issued from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) due to near-zero visibility in some areas, with a slight improvement expected by the afternoon.

As of 7:30 a.m., the fog advisory covered the entire southern border of the province, extending north along the foothills to Canmore, up the QEII to north of Olds, and along the Saskatchewan border to north of Coronation.

The national weather agency cautioned fog will only be part of the problem, saying “areas of freezing drizzle are also expected, which will make surfaces slippery. Some areas may see fog and freezing drizzle redevelop tonight.“

As of 7:55 a.m., foggy conditions were prevalent on the 511 Alberta cameras.

Road conditions on the 511 Alberta map Wednesday morning appeared to show improving road conditions throughout southern Alberta following the weekend snowfall, but current conditions are expected to impact commuters, with ECCC advising, “Travel is expected to be hazardous due to reduced visibility in some locations.”

South of the border a series of low pressure systems are expected to amalgamate and become a potent Colorado Low. Snowfall in southern Saskatchewan will morph into a sharp rain-snow line that will cross through Manitoba and into Ontario over the next 24-48 hours, creating dangerous road conditions in those provinces with strong winds complicating the effects of local precipitation.

Meanwhile southern Alberta will settle into a pattern of slightly cooler conditions for the end of the week and slightly warmer conditions by the weekend. Daytime highs are expected to sit at or above freezing from Saturday until Monday. The average daytime high for Calgary for this time of year is -1 C.