No April fool: Almost every province could see snow this week
A cooler pattern sweeping the country may bring a chance for snow in nearly every province this week
Happy middle of April! There’s a chance of snow this week in almost every Canadian province.
It’s a tough reality check this time of year. April carries spring on its breezes, after all. Flower petals float through the sky as a blanket of pollen turns everything a sneezy shade of yellow.
But winter is determined to hang on even if the season was absent in its prime across much of the country. Here’s a look at what forecasters expect to unfold next week as a chilly pattern takes hold.
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An upper-level trough sliding down the West Coast will kick off a period of active weather that’ll lumber east across the country throughout the week.
Metro Vancouver will stay far too warm to see any flakes, but below-seasonal temperatures will allow for snow at higher elevations along the South Coast and B.C.’s Interior. This is great news for ski resorts hoping to extend the season a bit.
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The setup grows more complicated east of the Rockies as a centre of low pressure develops over Alberta on Monday. Cold air locked over the region and a steady reserve of moisture from the south will allow ample snows to fall along this system’s path. A formidable multi-day snowfall event is likely for a wide swath of the central Prairies through the middle of this week.
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South of the border, a sprawling Colorado Low will push toward the eastern Prairies and the Great Lakes. This system will overtake that Prairies low and become our dominant weather-maker heading into the latter half of the week.
Foul conditions are likely across the eastern Prairies and Ontario through the middle and end of next week, with a likely transition to snow behind the system. There’s even a potential for wet snow to creep into parts of southern Ontario north of the Greater Toronto Area.
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This storm will then roll toward Quebec and Atlantic Canada, bringing more opportunities for steady rain, gusty winds, and additional snow for northern and inland areas.
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All told, we’re looking at the potential for snow to fall on every province and territory this week, with the possible exception of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Snow in April is fairly common across the country. Almost every major city save for Vancouver picks up some accumulating snow in a typical April—even Toronto. Calgary averages about 21 cm of snow in April, while Halifax typically measures about 17 cm during a normal month.
Don’t put those coats and snow brushes away too soon. Comfortable air and feisty thunderstorms are making their moves, but winter isn’t done with us just yet.
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Header image courtesy of Unsplash.
