Snowfall, freezing rain warnings in place in southwest Saskatchewan

After almost a week of balmy temperatures, the Maple Creek area appears poised to get a dose of winter.

Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for the Rural Municipality of Maple Creek on Saturday, saying 10 to 15 centimetres could fall in the RM and in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park.

“A low-pressure system travelling north from Montana on Sunday will spread an area of snow and freezing rain over southwestern Saskatchewan,” said the advisory, which was issued Saturday just after 3:30 p.m.

“Lower elevations will experience lighter snow and possibly some freezing rain, but over the higher elevations and harsh terrain of the Cypress Hills, heavy snowfall will begin overnight and persist into Sunday. Snow will taper off in the evening on Sunday as the low-pressure centre pulls off to the northeast.”

Freezing rain warnings also were issued Saturday afternoon for areas of the southwest, including the Swift Current, Shaunavon, Val Marie, Herbert and Lucky Lake regions.

Those advisories said the precipitation would start early Sunday morning and spread northward throughout the day. Environment Canada said the freezing rain would hit “a corridor extending from Val Marie to Saskatoon before changing over to snow overnight Sunday night to Monday morning.”

The weather service said warnings will be added as necessary as the freezing rain falls in other areas.

More information can be found on the Environment Canada alerts page.

The Highway Hotline said fog was causing reduced visibility Saturday afternoon on a number of roads, notably in the North Battleford, Rosetown and Prince Albert areas.