![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976944.1721898750!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
North winds creating icy conditions on Alberta highways
Since Monday, there has been a steady decline in weather conditions for portions of southern Alberta.
A frontal system introduced a cold air mass along with precipitation that started as rain and transitioned to snow.
Late on Tuesday, winds intensified out of the north/northwest and remained steady throughout the morning.
This “perfect storm” of strong, cold winds blowing over wet roads with a near-surface temperature around 0 C caused sections of area roadways to ice up.
As of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, 511 Alberta had rated many highways in central and southern Alberta as snow-covered and icy.
Alberta road conditions on the morning of April 17, 2024. (511 Alberta)
Winds are expected to remain persistently strong out of the north at around 40 km/h, with gusts over 70 km/h for much of the day, creating a wind-chill value that will make it feel about six to nine degrees colder than the ambient temperature.
The wind forecast for Calgary on April 17, 2024. (CTV News)
While these winds are strong, they are expected to remain below the threshold to trigger a wind warning for the province.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) will issue wind warnings in most of Alberta if there is a sustained wind of 70 km/h or more, and/or wind gusts of 90 km/h or more.
Areas in southwestern Alberta (including Lethbridge) have a higher threshold for wind warnings of at least 80 km/h sustained winds and/or at least 100 km/h or more for gusts.
The low-pressure system associated with this winter weather will continue to track east throughout the day Wednesday, but seasonal conditions will remain elusive for Calgary.
A ridge of high pressure that stalled over the eastern Pacific is not expected to move until the end of the week, suppressing daytime highs in Calgary to max out around 2 C until the end of the week.
Central and southern Alberta can expect more sunshine starting Thursday, with a return to double-digit daytime highs by Sunday.
Seven-day temperature trend for Calgary from April 17-23, 2024. (CTV News)
Visit ECCC for the latest weather warnings and 511 Alberta for current road conditions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
DEVELOPING Alberta's request for federal assistance approved after fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
Jasper mayor says alert system to be reviewed after message 'glitch'
More than 25,000 people have been displaced from Jasper National Park since wildfires started to threaten the picturesque corner of Alberta Rockies on Monday, but the mayor of its namesake municipality says not everyone received an evacuation alert when it was sent out.
Canada's premiers forced to confront escalating climate change-related disasters
Many of Canada's provincial and territorial leaders remained consumed by climate change-related natural disasters that have only escalated since they met for meetings in Halifax last week.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Unclaimed bodies are piling up in Newfoundland. A funeral director blames the government
A funeral director in St. John's says the bodies piling up in freezers at Newfoundland and Labrador's largest hospital likely belong to people whose loved ones couldn't get enough government help to pay for a funeral.
U.K. police officer suspended after video appears to show a man being kicked in head
A British police officer was suspended from all duties Thursday after a video was posted on social media that appeared to show an officer kicking and stamping on the head of a man lying on the floor of a terminal at Manchester Airport.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Monday breaks the record for the hottest day ever on Earth
Driven by oceans that won't cool down, an unseasonably warm Antarctica and worsening climate change, Earth's record hot streak dialed up this week, making Monday the hottest day humans have measured.