It may only be the middle of October, but the first signs of winter have been slowly falling over the country. In the case of some of Canada’s northern communities, however, it’s more like the signs of winter have stormed in.
While folks in Eastern Canada will be enjoying a pleasant fall weekend with temperatures up to 20°C, we’re tracking the country’s first blizzard warning of the year in the North.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued a blizzard warning for Cambridge Bay, Kugaaruk, Taloyoak, and Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, warning people of the rapidly deteriorating conditions through Friday.
“Wind gusts will range between 70 to 90 km/h on Friday,” ECCC said in its warning. “Total snowfall amounts of 10 to 20 cm are possible by Saturday morning.”
This sudden burst of wintry weather in Canada’s North is connected to the wavy jet stream that is responsible for the flip in active weather throughout Canada heading into the weekend.
The jet stream pulled a low-pressure system north from the Prairies, producing the extended period of blizzard conditions for the region.
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This has also created a ridge of high pressure over Eastern Canada, bringing an abundance of sunshine and warm temperatures.
Meanwhile, in Western Canada, snowfall warnings have been issued along the British Columbia-Yukon border as cold Arctic air seeps southward, sending temperatures plunging to between -15 and -20 °C. Up to 15 to 25 cm of snow are forecast for these areas over the weekend.
Southern B.C. will also be struck by a deluge of rain over the weekend as an impactful atmospheric river brings over 100 mm of rain to the region, including metropolitan Vancouver, raising the risk for floods and mudslides.
In 2023, Canada’s first blizzard warning of the season was issued for parts of Yukon and the Northwest Territories on Oct. 8, over the Thanksgiving weekend. The blizzard conditions also spanned a portion of the Dempster Highway, a critical route for those who live in northern portions of Yukon and the Northwest Territories as it serves as a lifeline to transport food, supplies, and other vital services.
In November 2023, Nunavut was also the subject of two back-to-back blizzards, which brought wind gusts of over 100 km/h that knocked out power to parts of the territory for days.
Stay with The Weather Network for more forecast information and updates on your weather across Canada.