By CHAT News Today

Snowfall warning in effect for Medicine Hat and region

Nov 3, 2017 | 11:02 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — A snowfall warning is now in effect for Medicine Hat and the surrounding area.

The city has received its first sustained snowfall of the winter season beginning on Thursday, and the cold temperatures are here to stay.

“We’ve had an Arctic outbreak come down from the north, with a large low pressure system, with the centre of it down in Montana,” said Alysa Peterson, a meteorologist from Environment Canada, over the phone from Edmonton.

“With the system, all of that cold air has come in, so all the moisture and precipitation that has come in has been in the form of snow.”

Peterson estimates the city received received only two centimetres of snow on Thursday, but says at least 20 to 30 centimetres of snow is expected to fall in the region Friday before it tapers off tonight by midnight.

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“It could be a little bit more,” she said. “It depends on how intense these snowfall bands are.”

The City of Medicine Hat has several sanding trucks out trying to keep the main roads in the city navigable.

It’s a difficult task with so much snow falling and so many vehicles on the road.

“We’re seeing a lot of icing at all of our intersections and that’s typical when you’re getting a snowfall,” said Jeremy Petryshyn, operations manager for Municipal Works. “That’s where we’re focusing our efforts on.”

“We’ll be continuing to work through the weekend to make sure the roads are safe for all the residents,” he said.

In addition to Medicine Hat, the snowfall warning is in effect for Cypress County, the County of 40 Mile near Bow Island, the County of Newell near Patricia, Tilley and Rolling Hills, and S.A. No. 2, including Bindloss and Jenner.

Residents are reminded to adjust their driving habits due to the changing conditions and potential reduction in visibility, and give themselves extra time to get to their destination.

Peterson says once the snow quits falling tonight, some small flurries are expected Saturday morning, but are not expected to add any more snow. The cold temperatures, however, will stick around.

“There’s a surface ridge that’s filled with Arctic air,” she said. “Until early next week, we’re still going to be sitting in this cold air.”