Temperatures set to sink in Saskatchewan

The mercury is about to plummet in Saskatchewan.

“Be prepared for falling temperatures over the next several days,” Environment Canada meteorologist Chris Stammers said Wednesday morning, “because we have what looks to be our coldest stretch of the winter coming up here.”

Temperatures across Saskatchewan are to drop during the day Wednesday, with wind chill values falling as well.

By Saturday, Stammers said, overnight lows are expected to dip into the -30s in many areas.

“That’s going to last well into next week before we see a bit of moderation,” Stammers said. (“It’s) nothing crazy certainly by Canadian prairie standards, but certainly a lot colder than we’ve seen this winter so far.”

Stammers added extreme cold conditions could exist, which for Environment Canada means wind chills of -40 or lower.

The strong winds felt in some regions of the province Wednesday morning are to continue throughout the day.

“We have a ridge of high pressure that’s starting to build, so that will lighten the winds starting tonight and it’ll also start to drop the temperatures over the next couple of days,” Stammers said.

“It looks like the really cold air starts to work into the region on Friday.”

A cold front blew through the Regina area on Wednesday morning, with snow, blowing snow and reduced visibility.

The Highway Hotline said travel wasn’t recommended on Highway 11 from Regina to Bethune and on other highways in the Lumsden area. That advisory was lifted shortly after 9:30 a.m.

Just after 10:30 a.m., the Highway Hotline advised against travel on Highway 4 from Cadillac to Val Marie. That alert ended just after 1 p.m.

Environment Canada has issued snowfall warnings for areas in the north, including La Ronge, Southend and Prince Albert National Park.