546
FOCN45 CWWG 221200
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER DISCUSSION ISSUED BY THE PRAIRIE AND ARCTIC STORM
PREDICTION CENTRE OF ENVIRONMENT CANADA AT 7:00 AM CDT THURSDAY
OCTOBER 22 2026.
ALERTS IN EFFECT...BLIZZARD WARNING FOR RESOLUTE. WIND WARNINGS FOR
RESOLUTE AND GRISE FIORD. SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR NORTHERN
SASKATCHEWAN AND MANITOBA FOR UPCOMING SYSTEM.
SYNOPTIC OVERVIEW...ALOFT, AN UPPER LOW IS OVER THE ARCTIC OCEAN WITH
A TROUGH SOUTHWARD TO ANOTHER LOW OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST. TWO
SHORTWAVES ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE TROUGH, ONE OVER VICTORIA ISLAND
AND THE OTHER IS LOCATED OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA. UPPER RIDGING IS
OVER THE PRAIRIES AND EXTENDS THROUGH THE EASTERN ARCTIC. AN UPPER
LOW IS OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF GREENLAND WITH TROUGHING SOUTHWARD
THROUGH QUEBEC.
AT THE SURFACE, A 985 MB LOW IS OVER VICTORIA ISLAND WITH A TROUGH
SOUTHWARD ALONG THE ALBERTA/SASKATCHEWAN BORDER. HIGH PRESSURE IS
OVER NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WITH A RIDGE EXTENDING NORTHWARD THROUGH
HUDSON BAY AND BAFFIN ISLAND. A 998 MB LOW IS OFF THE COAST OF
LABRADOR.
DISCUSSION...
WESTERN PRAIRIES...TODAY'S SEASONAL TEMPERATURES WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
A DRAMATIC SHIFT IN THE WEATHER ON FRIDAY. A VIGOROUS COLD FRONT WILL
MOVE THROUGH ALBERTA ON FRIDAY, BRINGING RAIN, SNOW, GUSTY WINDS,
AND COOLER TEMPERATURES. THE ASSOCIATED PRECIPITATION WILL GENERALLY
START OFF AS RAIN BEFORE BECOMING MIXED WITH OR TRANSITIONING TO
SNOW. RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN 5 AND 20 MM, AND
SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MINIMAL DUE TO THE WARM
GROUND. WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 80 KM/H WILL RUSH THROUGH CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN REGIONS, WITH A GUST TO 90 KM/H NOT OUT OF THE REALM OF
POSSIBILITIES. AS THE ASSOCIATED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM INTENSIFIES
FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY, SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED IN
PARTS OF NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN, WHERE A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT IS
IN EFFECT.
EASTERN PRAIRIES...GENERALLY BENIGN WEATHER CONTINUES ACROSS THE
PRAIRIES WITH ABOVE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES PERSISTING THROUGH THE NEXT
FEW DAYS.
HOWEVER, A CHANGE IS COMING AS A SIGNIFICANT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS
PROGGED TO IMPACT THE PRAIRIES FRIDAY AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
THIS SYSTEM WILL SPREAD RAIN, SNOW, FREEZING RAIN, AND STRONG WINDS
THROUGH THE REGION FOLLOWED BY A COOLER PATTERN NEXT WEEK.
WESTERN ARCTIC...THE LOW OVER VICTORIA ISLAND WILL BRING SNOW AND
STRONG WINDS TO RESOLUTE TODAY, GIVING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AND WIND
GUSTS TO 90 KM/H. AS THE LOW MOVES NORTHWARD TONIGHT, GUSTS UP TO
100 KM/H ARE EXPECTED IN GRISE FIORD. THE BACKSIDE OF THIS SYSTEM
WILL BRING STRONG NORTHWESTERLY WINDS TO THE EASTERN KITIKMEOT ON
FRIDAY, WHERE FALLING TEMPERATURES AND FRESH SNOW MAY AID IN
PRODUCING SOME BLOWING SNOW.
EASTERN ARCTIC..THE LOW OVER VICTORIA ISLAND WILL PUSH SNOW, GUSTY
WINDS AND RESULTING BLOWING SNOW THROUGH NORTHERN BAFFIN ISLAND AND
MELVILLE PENINSULA AND MIXED PRECIPITATION THROUGH KIVALLIQ TODAY.
AS THE LOW CONTINUES TO TREK EASTWARD, SNOW WILL SPREAD THROUGH
BAFFIN ISLAND THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. NO NOTABLE
ACCUMULATIONS ARE FORECAST. TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO BE MILD, WHICH
REDUCES THE CONCERN REGARDING VISIBILITY REDUCTION IMPACTS WITH
BLOWING SNOW. THERE WILL LIKELY BE BLOWING SNOW AT TIMES,
PARTICULARLY IN FALLING SNOW, BUT MESSAGING IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE
NEEDED.
END/MOODIE/VALLEE
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