EDMONTON – Environment Canada has issued approximately 20 weather warnings that are expected to remain in effect over the weekend, as forecasts predict a range of severe weather conditions across the country. Citizens are advised to prepare for more snowfall, blizzards, freezing rain, rain, and frigid temperatures impacting areas from coast to coast.

Marianna Greenhough, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, emphasizes the importance of being aware of these warnings. In a Saturday interview, she noted, “They could be impactful for you depending on what you’re doing.” Greenhough highlighted that the weather pattern experienced this season has been notably active, which is not typical for this time of year, though it can occur.

For Newfoundland and Labrador, an Environment Canada winter storm warning predicts significant snowfall, with accumulations of up to 40 centimeters expected to begin Saturday and continue until Sunday afternoon in much of the western coastal regions of the province. Meanwhile, other areas will receive between five to 15 centimeters of snow during the same period.

Strong wind gusts accompanying the snowfall have prompted a blizzard warning, indicating that residents in affected areas may experience severe travel disruptions and interruptions to daily routines. From Waterloo, Ontario, in the south to North Bay in Ontario’s northeast, as well as regions around Canada's capital city, Ottawa, Environment Canada forecasts the potential for up to 15 millimeters of freezing rain, along with some rainfall and a blanket of snowfall starting Sunday and continuing into Monday.

The freezing rain warning indicates that ice pellets could create hazardous conditions, making roads and sidewalks slippery. This may also lead to power outages and the risk of downed trees across parts of Ontario. Large areas of Quebec are also anticipating considerable snowfall, although the storm impacting that region is not expected to arrive until Monday.

Further west, cold warnings have been issued for significant portions of Alberta and Saskatchewan. The weather agency anticipates that wind chills plunging to -40 degrees Celsius will persist from Medicine Hat in southern Alberta to Fort McMurray in the north, lasting until Sunday morning. Similar wind chill warnings are also in effect for adjacent areas in Saskatchewan and parts of Yukon.

Additionally, a Pacific frontal system is set to deliver heavy snowfall to communities along the Yukon-British Columbia border, along with blizzard conditions affecting British Columbia’s coastal communities. The northwest coast of British Columbia is predicted to see as much as 150 millimeters of rainfall from Saturday night to Monday morning.

Greenhough noted that the dramatic fluctuations in weather observed across Canada can be attributed to three distinct weather systems currently moving into the country. One system is making its way from the Pacific Ocean in the west, while a second is affecting Ontario, and a third system is situated over the East Coast.

So far this holiday season, the only province experiencing uncharacteristic weather patterns has been Alberta. Typically, Alberta sees an average of 18 centimeters of snowfall in December; however, the province has accumulated 24 centimeters within the last week alone. “We’re well over the normal in Alberta,” Greenhough stated.

This report highlights the diverse and challenging weather conditions Canadians are facing as they prepare for the weekend. Citizens are encouraged to stay vigilant in regard to weather warnings and to exercise caution as winter storms roll across the nation.