Deep freeze grips Southwest
Posted on December 9, 2013 by Maple CreekAfter a week of winter storms and blizzard conditions southern Saskatchewan was submerged in extreme cold temperatures.Leading into the weekend on Fri., Dec. 6 a wind chill warning was issued for the Maple Creek, Shaunavon, Val Marie and Cypress Hills region.
Both Maple Creek Composite School and Sidney Street School were open on Friday, but many buses didn’t run due to the frigid temperatures.
The temperature dropped to -43 C with the wind chill factor on Friday morning in Maple Creek. Throughout the day the northwest wind was measured at between nine and 20 kilometers per hour. In the community of Leader the wind made the temperature feel like -46 C, in Shaunavon the wind chill dropped the temperature to -44 C. At Eastend, 27 km/h winds pushed the temperature down to -44 C and in the Cypress Hills the temperature was recorded at -41 C.
An extreme wind chill alert issued by Environment Canada on Friday morning detailed a bitterly cold airmass over southern Saskatchewan. When temperature values are close to -40 C frostbite can occur in five to 10 minutes.
Icy and slippery road conditions near Swift Current had RCMP issuing an advisory asking motorists to reduce their speed while traveling on the Trans-Canada Highway between Swift Current and Gull Lake on Thursday night.
Although it might be warmer than last week, on Monday the region fell under a blowing snow warning due to a low pressure system that moved in from northern Alberta. The storm created reduced visibility and wind gusts between 50 and 70 km/h.
Severe weather may begin to ease up today, as the short-term forecast for the Maple Creek area says a sunny day with a low of -22 C and a high of -21 C with a 60 per cent chance of flurries is on its way. Tomorrow expect a sunny day with a high of -8 C and a low of -21 C. For Thursday the forecast calls for a cloudy day with a low of -11 C and a high of -3 C – perfect weather for Cowtown Christmas which begins downtown at 7 p.m.
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