Week of warm weather expected to persist over Saskatchewan
City of Regina says people should clear snow away from homes to prevent water damage
The melt is on across much of Saskatchewan.
Temperatures this past weekend soared to well above seasonal values, breaking records in numerous communities.
And it looks like that pattern will continue through the week.
The warm weather comes from an atmospheric river drenching British Columbia's south coast in heavy rain.
The subtropical air mass from that system is jumping the Rocky Mountains and warming further as it slides down the other side into the Prairies.
That system is pushing the jet stream, which separates warmer air to the south from cooler air to the north, up above Alberta and Saskatchewan.
"We get into those really, really warm temperatures once again very much like the pattern that we were seeing in December," Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Terri Lang said.
The warmth is expected to extend throughout the province, with records having already been broken from as far south as Coronach to as far north as Uranium City.
Some communities could see one of their warmest January temperatures ever recorded, including Swift Current, which could exceed its all-time monthly high of 12 C several times this week.
But Lang said an effect known as albedo could mean temperatures don't get as high as forecast in some spots.
Much of the heat provided by the sun comes from its rays warming the ground, but since the snow reflects the sun's rays, the ground doesn't heat up as much.
"Most of the [sun's] energy goes into melting the snow," said Lang.
Move snow to protect your home, City of Regina says
Many communities in the province have seen a daytime high temperature increase of 35 C to 55 C over the past couple of weeks, and this comes after the mercury plunged much of Saskatchewan into a deep freeze earlier this month.
That sort of temperature swing can have an impact on water and sewer infrastructure, according to Helene Henning-Hill, manager of sewer and drainage operations for the City of Regina.
"We've had some water main breaks and now as the snow dissipates we see some potholes," Henning-Hill said.
She said it's "very weird" to be dealing with a significant melt like this in January. The city normally prepares for that to happen in March.
Henning-Hill is not expecting a big impact from this melt because the city's snow pack has been low. But she said the freezing and thawing cycle, especially when it happens often, causes ice jams in storm drains and creates more work for city crews.
Henning-Hill said excess water from water main breaks that eventually flow into creeks and storm channels can weaken the surface of the ice, making it dangerous for people and animals who go on it.
She said homeowners can prevent damage from melting snow by making sure the snow is at least two metres away from the foundation of their house.
"You may actually want to clear the first six feet of your roof if there is any snow left and make sure your eavestroughs are free from ice and debris," Henning-Hill said.
The weather road ahead
The ridge bringing the extreme warmth is expected to break down by the end of the week, Lang said. Temperatures will be cooler, but should stay above seasonal.
Environment and Climate Change Canada's three-month outlook shows a 50 to 60 per cent chance of above seasonal temperatures through February and March in Saskatchewan.
Part of that, Lang said, is the result of continued El Niño conditions, which are expected to weaken to a neutral state in the period between April and June, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
But Lang cautioned it won't necessarily be an easy road to winter's finish line.
"Even in an El Niño winter, you can get cold outbreaks," she said. "And it doesn't mean that it won't snow again."
Lang said powerful snowstorms in the form of low pressure systems from the United States begin ramping up in March and April.
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