Advertisement

Warmer winter predicted in Lethbridge despite early snowfall

Click to play video: 'Lethbridge hit with snowy fall day Tuesday'
Lethbridge hit with snowy fall day Tuesday
Snow fell on Lethbridge on Tuesday, but according to a Global News weather expert, the area could see a more mild winter than usual. Matt Battochio reports – Oct 2, 2018

Lethbridge’s first significant snowfall of the season has hit the city on the same day for the second consecutive year. On Oct. 2 a year ago, snowfall led to extremely poor road conditions, even forcing closures on Whoop Up Drive and Highway 3.

READ MORE: Up to 20 cm of snow possible in southern Alberta by Wednesday: Environment Canada

Fast forward to today, the conditions are less severe, but snow-clearing efforts are still underway.

“A whole bunch of trucks were out early this [Tuesday] morning combatting road conditions,” Volker Stevin contract manager Dean Jetten said. “We got on top of it right away in areas where it’s been deteriorating.”

The company says they had 35 plows out on Tuesday from Nanton to the Montana border. The crews worked in Lethbridge, as well as on Highway 3 west of the city, Highway 785 and Highway 2.

Story continues below advertisement

Despite early October snow, there could be good news on the horizon for those who fear frosty conditions.

Breaking news from Canada and around the world sent to your email, as it happens.

“The long-range climate forecast models are calling for a warmer-than-normal and dryer-than-normal winter this year,” Global News weather expert Paul Dunphy said.

“It should start up any time in the late fall, early winter, as we switch to a new El Nino cycle. This is the warm cycle, the El Nino Southern Oscillation. So it should be more Chinooks, it should be warmer and dryer here in the plains, but more snow is expected in the mountains.”

Lethbridge is expected to see around 10 cm of snowfall by Wednesday morning.

Sponsored content

AdChoices