FOCN45 CWWG 191200

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER DISCUSSION ISSUED BY THE PRAIRIE AND ARCTIC STORM

PREDICTION CENTRE OF ENVIRONMENT CANADA AT 7:00 AM CDT THURSDAY MARCH

19 2026.



ALERTS IN EFFECT...YELLOW COLD WARNINGS FOR SANIRAJAK. WIND WARNING

FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWESTERN ALBERTA. SNOWFALL WARNING FOR THE ICEFIELDS

PARKWAY. FREEZING RAIN WARNING FOR PARTS OF NE ALBERTA AND

NORTH-CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN. BLIZZARD WARNING AND WINTER STORM WATCH

FOR THE COASTAL NWT SITES.



SYNOPTIC OVERVIEW...RGW 00Z UPPER ANALYSES REVEALED A LOW COMPLEX

OVER THE ARCTIC WITH TROUGHS SOUTHWARD TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES AND

TOWARD THE GULF ALASKA. A BROAD RIDGE SAT OVER WESTERN CANADA, WITH

THE CREST OF THE RIDGE OVER ALBERTA.



THE SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS A STRING OF LOWS FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA

TO ALBERTA TO EASTERN ONTARIO. HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHES WEST TO EAST

ACROSS THE CENTRAL ARCTIC. LOW OVER THE HIGH ARCTIC.



AB/NRN SK...AS THE PATTERN DOESN'T CHANGE UNTIL LATE FRIDAY, STRONG

WINDS IN SOUTHERN AB, SNOW ALONG HIGHWAY 93 AND MIXED TYPE

PRECIPITATION ACROSS NORTHERN REGIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE REST OF

THE WEEK. FREEZING RAIN LOOKS MUCH WEAKER TONIGHT OVER NORTHERN SK

THAN THE LAST COUPLE NIGHTS OVER NORTHERN AB/SK. POSSIBLY MORE

RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE SET THIS WEEK AS WELL. PARTS OF NW

AB COULD SEE 10-15 CM OF SNOW AS AN UPPER TROUGH FINALLY FLATTENS

THE UPPER RIDGE ON FRIDAY.



SRN SK/MB...A SERIES OF UPPER IMPULSES CONTINUE TO RIDE THE RIDGE

OVER WESTERN CANADA, BRINGING UNSETTLED WEATHER TO THE PRAIRIES THIS

WEEK. THIS WILL BRING PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION, INCLUDING THE

MIXED-PHASE TYPE ALONG THE BAROCLINIC ZONE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

WITH THERE BEING QUITE A BIT OF LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE, FREEZING DRIZZLE

WILL BE A CONCERN ALONG THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE BAROCLINIC ZONE.

THERE MAY ALSO BE PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH THESE

IMPULSES, BUT THEY ARE EXPECTED TO BE SHORT-LIVED DUE TO THE SPEED OF

THESE IMPULSES.



ARCTIC...A COLD AIRMASS REMAINS ENTRENCHED OVER MUCH OF THE REGION,

WITH A COUPLE OF COMMUNITIES QUALIFYING FOR COLD WARNINGS.



SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ARE EXPECTED FOR COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN THE NWT

STARTING TONIGHT AS A LOW MOVES SOUTH THROUGH THE ARCHIPELAGO. SNOW

AND STRONG WINDS WILL REACH SACHS HARBOUR AND ULUKHAKTOK LATE

TONIGHT, AND THE MAINLAND COAST FRIDAY MORNING. THE ONLY STICKING

POINT FOR A FULL BLIZZARD IS A RELATIVE LACK OF PREEXISTING LOOSE

SNOW IN THE AREA. HOWEVER, FALLING SNOW COINCIDING WITH STRONG WINDS

AND THE UPSTREAM FETCH BRINGING IN MORE SNOW WILL LIKELY BE ADEQUATE

FOR A DAY OR SO OF BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN THE ISR.



END/CARLSEN/ROMBOUGH