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Early start to winter got you feeling down? Environment Canada says there’s still hope for Alberta

Click to play video: 'Local psychologist says staying active is the key to beating the ‘early winter’ blues'
Local psychologist says staying active is the key to beating the ‘early winter’ blues
WATCH ABOVE: While it's not unusual for Alberta to see snow in September- the recent stretch of cooler weather is starting to take a toll on many people. Albert Delitala reports – Sep 15, 2018

After days of dealing with wet snow and flurries, many Albertans are finding it hard to just keep rolling with the punches.

The early start to winter blanketed much of Alberta earlier this week and hasn’t stopped.

READ MORE: Say it ain’t snow! Northern Alberta wakes up to winter weather

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement on Monday, saying a cool air mass would invade much of Alberta this week, “bringing with it weather that is decidedly more like winter than summer.”

That statement was later upgraded to include a snowfall warning for parts of northern Alberta.

“It’s not the type of pattern that we get every September but it is part of the climatology,” meteorologist Dan Kulak with Environment Canada said. “We do get snow in Alberta in many locations in this month. It is a periodic thing that every few years we get into a situation like this.”

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“One of the best things you can do right now is get out and get active,” Farrel Greenspan, registered psychologist, told Global News. “Find a reason to get up, get energized, go out, do something you like or try something new- use your social supports.”

“[The] early on-set of winter has caught people off guard,” Greenspan added. “Anytime you can find a reason to get out and be active, it can help to buffer against Seasonal Affective Disorder or winter blues.
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The good news is the forecast for the end of the month may finally give us a taste of the fall we’re all craving.

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“Summer, I think, is certainly behind us,” Kulak added. “That doesn’t mean we’re not going to get some more warmer weather. Through the second half of September and into October, we can have some really nice fall-like days.”

And the forecast is looking promising for those who like a milder winter.

READ MORE: Snow in September expected across west-central Alberta this week

“The forecast we have for the winter for much of western Canada is suggesting milder and dryer than normal thanks to a developing El Niño, which is that warm pool of water off the coast of South America that is modifying weather patterns around the world,” Kulak added.

“That said you can still expect some colder days and some snowy days because we can never escape it altogether.”

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