More snow likely Tuesday before warmup begins Wednesday

A low complex (an area of low pressure systems with multiple centres) situated over the Prairies in the upper levels continues to bring colder air into Alberta.

Clear skies north and east of Calgary are intensifying this situation and allowing overnight temperatures in that region to drop to dangerous levels.

As such an extreme cold warning remains in effect for east-central Alberta and west-central Saskatchewan with wind chill values expected to hover around -40 at times.

An extreme cold warning (teal) from Environment and Climate Change Canada remains in place Tuesday along the central portions of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. Wind chill values are expected to reach -40 at times.

A shortwave trough associated with the upper low is expected to bring light snow into the foothills and mountain parks during the day Tuesday.

This system will track east and south in the late afternoon and evening impacting southern Alberta – including Calgary. Accumulations should be minimal, with only trace amounts expected in Calgary.

Wednesday will offer the first signs of a warmup for southern Alberta, with daytime highs expected to sit around -5 C.

The end of the week will bring an entirely different weather story – including significant melting, messy roads, and a return to the freeze-thaw cycle.

An incoming ridge of high pressure is expected to bring warmer Pacific air into British Columbia on Thursday and Alberta on Friday – with daytime highs on Friday 23 degrees warmer than the high on Monday.

Under mainly sunny conditions this weekend, along with highs in the mid to high-single digits and lows below freezing, surfaces like sidewalks, bridge decks and parking lots are likely to become quite icy in the early parts of the day.