I expect all ski trails will be covered by fresh snow. We just drove to Canmore from Calgary and the roads were snow covered. Only a few of us dared to drive in the passing lane. Visibility wasn’t too bad except near Dead Man’s Flats where the traffic slowed to about 60K. Environment Canada has issued the following warning:
WINTER STORM WARNING: Kananaskis-Canmore
Issued at 3:47 PM MST FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER 2008
10 TO 25 CENTIMETRES OF SNOW WITH BLOWING SNOW TODAY AND TONIGHT. THIS IS A WARNING THAT DANGEROUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS…LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.
AN INTENSE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER SOUTHERN BC THIS MORNING WILL MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH MONTANA TONIGHT. AN AREA OF SNOW ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM IS DEVELOPING IN THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS THIS MORNING AND WILL SPREAD INTO SOUTHERN ALBERTA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 10 TO 15 CM OF SNOW IS FORECAST ACROSS THE REGIONS BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH UP TO 20 CM OVER HIGHER ELEVATIONS. IN ADDITION, A COLD FRONT ACROSS NORTHERN ALBERTA THIS MORNING WILL DROP SOUTHWARD THROUGH ALBERTA TODAY. BEHIND THE COLD FRONT STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS OF 40 TO 60 KM/H WILL DRAW COLD ARCTIC AIR ACROSS THE PROVINCE AND DROP DAYTIME HIGHS INTO THE MINUS TWENTIES FOR THE WEEKEND. THESE STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH FRESH SNOW WILL PRODUCE POOR VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING SNOW ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHEASTERN ALBERTA WHERE WINDS GUSTING TO 80 KM/H MAY REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. AS THE TEMPERATURE PLUMETS AND WINDS PERSIST ON SATURDAY, WIND CHILL VALUES OF -35 TO -40 CAN BE EXPECTED.
