Warm temperatures are expected for the next week in the Northwest. (Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Josh Ryan

Warm week

Fair weather forecast in Northwest Saskatchewan

Mar 16, 2021 | 3:49 PM

Families in Northwest Saskatchewan hoping for a chance to enjoy the outdoors will have a welcome shift in the weather this week.

Current forecasts are predicting above average temperatures, with double digits expected both Thursday and Friday. The median daily high should be around 9 Celsius in both Meadow Lake and the Battlefords. Meteorologist Terri Lang said these aren’t close to record daily highs, which are in the mid-teens, but this is still a nice stretch the region is coming into.

“There’s a big boost to people’s mood when there’s sunlight,” she said. “It’s nice to see milder temperatures and not sinking into the colder stuff and it’ll help with the melt as well.”

The Water Security Agency monitors the amount of runoff occurring heading into spring, as regions can face flooding if it’s connected with heavy rainfall, like last year. Lang said a gradual melting is ideal, because when temperatures are very warm, stay above freezing overnight and are accompanied by strong winds, the snow evaporates too quickly.

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“This is sort of the best way to do it, a slow melt,” she said. “Let the rivers absorb it and let the ground absorb it as well, as it warms up.”

Some longer range forecasts have more days of unusually warm temperatures, but Lang said those are a little optimistic with plenty of snow still on the ground. We should expect seasonal values next week, she said. Average highs at this time of the year are around 1, paired with lows of -10. Lang said there’s a strong chance of great variance, due to the swings that often happen on the Prairies.

“We have to get through March to start really looking forward to spring, even though April can definitely bring us a good snow storm,” she said.

Another factor Lang said is important to keep in mind is there’s still driving hazards. While the average temperatures are high, overnight temperatures are still below freezing.

“In the morning, we tend to get black ice on the roads,” Lang said. “So, something to keep in mind while driving.”

Some other good news is that Lang said the amount of moisture in the southeast part of the province could bode well for this region and the farmers who dwell here.

“There’s still enough moisture and lots of snow to melt and regenerate the fields,” she said.

Both the Battlefords and Meadow Lake have Friday as the warmest day of a week, with Thursday night’s overnight low of -2 C followed by a high of 12 C and a mix of sun and cloud.

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports