Welcome to fall! First snowfall warning of the season issued for 10-20 cm
Wednesday marks the official start to fall, and in true Canadian fashion, the first snowfall warning of the season has been issued, for Yukon's Dempster Highway – followed later in the day by a blizzard warning for the same area.
Visit our Complete Guide to Fall 2021 for an in-depth look at the Fall Forecast, tips to plan for it and much more!
"A frontal system moving through the Yukon will generate heavy snow across the Dempster Highway with the highest accumulation forecast to be near the Ogilvie Mountains," says Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in the warning.
The Dempster Highway connects the Klondike Highway in Yukon to Inuvik, Northwest Territories, on the Mackenzie River delta.
Between 10-20 cm of snow is expected to fall through Wednesday. Combine that with a northeast wind gusting to 80 km/h, and visibility could be reduced to as low as just one kilometre in some exposed locations.
"Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow," ECCC warns.
Lesser amounts are expected for the Dawson and Beaver Creek areas, as the snow is expected to mix with rain at times. Still, special weather statements were issued for the 5-10 cm forecast across the region.
On average, less than 5 cm of snow typically falls in Dawson during all of September. This early season system may end up exceeding that monthly total for the area in just a couple of days.
The last snowfall warning that was issued this year was on June 1 and it was also in Yukon. Meanwhile, southern Alberta had winter storm warnings in effect from June 6-8 earlier this year.
Is this early arrival of winter weather in Canada's north a sign of what's to come this season? Find out in the official 2021 Fall Forecast, here.
