CALGARY -- I shall feign surprise that yet again we'll jump above seasonal by a wide berth, only to topple it with a cold front and ensuing wave of flurries a day later.
There's probably some sarcasm there but, hey, we're getting desperate for precipitation. Refer to yesterday's article for the "per cent of average precipitation" data, or to the info from AlbertaFireBans.ca below, as K-country falls in under an advisory, as well:
Again, regions (Rocky View, Wheatland, Foothills, Vulcan, and Lethbridge counties, along with the MD of Willow Creek) under bans entail a cancellation of fire and fireworks permits, along with burning of any kind, save for fires contained in cooking or heating appliances powered by gas. Here's the link for more info. The advisories indicate that standing permits remain valid but new permits will not be issued. The rules surrounding safe wood campfires and backyard fire pits, among a slew of others, are more relaxed, for now. I've used a variant of this fire ban board for the past few days, and without significant additive precipitation, that trend is likely to continue.
Our forecast today pushes a low off the Rockies into central Alberta as part of our position at the exit region of a trough in our upper atmosphere. To summarize, we'll have air out of the southwest pushing across the Rockies, and air being pulled by that surface low in the same direction. Gusts in Calgary may push above 50 km/h today, with wind warnings currently (as of 6:30 a.m.) present in Kananaskis, Crowsnest Pass, and Cardston noting gusts to 100 km/h possible.
Then, as I said in the opening paragraph, this low gives us an impolite awakening to the fact that spring in Alberta is a spin of the roulette wheel much of the time. As that low slides eastward and opens its northwesterly face directly toward us, sliding precipitation (flurries) along the foothills. Calgary will be at the outset here, and could cope with a centimetre or two of snow. As we've seen with events that run parallel to the range, the west end of the city will likely see a greater accumulation.
Your five-day forecast:
Today:
- Partly cloudy
- Daytime high: 16 C
- Evening: building cloud, low 1 C
Thursday:
- Mainly cloudy, flurries, one to two centimetres
- Daytime high: 5 C
- Evening: some cloud, low -4 C
Friday:
- Partly cloudy
- Daytime high: 11 C
- Evening: Some cloud, low -3 C
Saturday:
- Partly cloudy
- Daytime high: 6 C
- Evening: Some cloud, low -6 C
Sunday:
- Partly cloudy, afternoon showers
- Daytime high: 5 C
- Evening: flurries, low -5 C
Our pic of the day is from Julie, who caught a great sunrise from Huntington Hills yesterday!
You can submit your weather photos here, or email me: Kevin Stanfield
