Winter weather bringing cold and snow to Saskatchewan

Another winter blast is creating a mess of snow and cold across Saskatchewan.

Global Saskatoon meteorologist Peter Quinlan said temperatures have been dropping down to below -30 C with the wind chill due to a surge of Arctic air.

“The temperature is so low it’s going to create very light, Hollywood-type snow that blows around with a wind of 20 to 50 kilometres per hour,” he said. “That’s why we are expecting near zero visibility, blowing snow right through into the work week.”

Both Saskatoon and Regina are plagued with winter driving conditions. Police are asking drivers to slow down and use caution.

Quinlan said he doesn’t predict the snow will let up in the province anytime soon.

He explained the amount of snow received in each area varies across Saskatchewan.

“There is another round of snow that is going to bring 10 to 20 centimetres to extreme southern areas of the province,” he said. “Regina could see around 5 to 10 centimetres and that is going to be part of a Colorado low that will sweep into Manitoba. Both of these systems come with gusty winds.”

Quinlan said we haven’t broken any weather records yet, but could later in the week.

Troy Davies with Medavie Health Services said dressing for the cold temperatures is incredibly important as it is easy for skin to freeze and cold weather-related illnesses to set in.

“For skin in this type of weather, it’s minutes with the wind chills we are experiencing,” he said. “You can see frostbite or even cold exposure.”

Signs of frostbite include numbness and a change in skin colour, particularly to fingers and toes due to their lower circulation.

The cold temperatures sweeping the province aren’t expected to let up until the middle of February.