Snow, freezing rain expected to hit southern Saskatchewan

The weather may be about to get messy again in Saskatchewan.

According to Environment Canada, a weather system is to arrive in the province overnight, bringing snow and possibly freezing rain to the central and southern regions Wednesday.

“For the most part, (the snow) will be contained to the southern third of the province,” Environment Canada meteorologist Terri Lang said Tuesday. “The freezing rain is a slight risk, but it looks like that risk will run from about Saskatoon down to the Yorkton area. That risk will be in the morning.”

After that, the snow will start. Lang said snowfall in the four- to eight-centimetre range will fall along the Yellowhead Highway, with areas further south getting two to four centimetres of snow.

“Then in the afternoon, we’ll see the wind start to pick up, particularly across the southwest part of the province — strong north to northwesterly winds gusting as high as 70 kilometres per hour,” Lang said. “The falling snow combined with the stronger winds are likely to cause blowing snow over that southwest corner.”

With visibility possibly affected, Lang said travellers should check the Highway Hotline before heading out and also should make sure their vehicles are ready.

She also suggested drivers should be alert on the roads.

“Temperatures will start out a little bit on the mild side on Wednesday,” Lang said. “When those northerly winds kick in, we’ll see the temperatures drop, so it means that the roads will ice over pretty quickly, especially when there’s some snow and blowing and drifting snow.”

Lang said the storm should be out of the province by midnight Wednesday

As of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Environment Canada hadn’t issued any weather alerts for the province.