Saskatchewan is seeing a steady drop in temperatures, with several areas finally seeing lows eclipsing -10 Celsius. (Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW staff)

By battlefordsNOW and meadowlakeNOW Staff

Cooling down

Winter creeping up on northwest Saskatchewan

Nov 2, 2021 | 6:00 AM

The northwest region of Saskatchewan officially went subzero during the day this week and residents can expect more of this in the future.

Temperatures dropped into the minus teens overnight in the Battlefords, Meadow Lake and surrounding areas, just creeping to around 3 Celsius Monday afternoon. Meteorologist Terri Lang with Environment Canada said there’s a big ridge of high pressure coming from the arctic, which traps the cold air at the surface.

“We have a little bit of low cloud trapped under that ridge, giving a little bit of cloud cover to some portions of the provinces and some snow flurries,” she said.

However, Lang said she’s not expecting any accumulation from those flurries, though there could be some cold wind-chill numbers, a phrase not heard in nearly a year.

Following these conditions, residents can expect a gradual warm-up this week, with southerly winds bringing warmer air. Meadow Lake is predicted to reach a high of 7 C by Thursday, while the Battlefords could see multiple days in excess of 10 C, including a high of 14 C Thursday.

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By next week, there could be the first system bringing some snow coming through the area. However, Lang said lots of things can change.

“Something is coming through next week,” she said. “It’s a good reminder to get that prep done with winter tires, winter gear, etc.”

“It was a warm October and we’ve been a bit spoiled by that, but now it’s November 1 and it’s time to get in that winter mindset before the snow actually does fly.”

Fire & Safety endorse winter precautions

That winter mindset is also the advice from local fire departments and safety officers. North Battleford Chief Lindsay Holm said there’s no river advisory in place, given the water levels are low and the temperatures haven’t reached a level at which there’s more significant freezing. In the meantime, he and his team are watching how the river develops.

“I’m not sure when that will take place, but as we did in the spring, we will monitor it and when it gets colder, we will put out an advisory,” he said.

Meadow Lake Fire Chief Neil Marsh said with cold conditions and bodies of water, anyone venturing near ice needs to take precautions.

“There’s information available on how many inches of ice it takes to carry a person several people or a ski-doo or vehicle,” he said. “People should be very cautious when going out there.”

Drivers are already adjusting to winter conditions, which Marsh noted isn’t new to the area. But even for those who feel confident in their vehicles, doing a check is still recommended.

“Put those winter tires on and make sure those brakes are in excellent condition,” he said. “That can make the difference between a safe journey and tragic outcome.”

The Weather Network is calling for light snow as earlier as November 9, with possibilities of flurries November 11-12.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

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