Edmonton weather December 2: Freezing rain on the way

Freezing rain warnings are in effect for areas from the Peace River east to Fort McMurray and south towards the Cold Lake/Bonnyville region.

We expect freezing rain to begin in the northwest by midday and move into northeastern Alberta this afternoon.

All that precipitation should stay north of Edmonton today and tonight.

We’ll get our snow (and possibly some rain or freezing rain) starting late Tuesday and continuing into Wednesday.

An upper ridge has developed over central and southern Alberta, bringing warm air aloft, and with a punch of moisture riding along the northern edge of this ridge, we get the risk of mixed precipitation or freezing rain for those areas outlined in the warning.

Fort McMurray could go either way with precipitation. It could be freezing rain … or it could stay all snow (in which case several inches of heavy, wet snow could pile up later today and tonight).

The upper ridge has brought in warmer air, but it takes some time for it to mix down to the surface.

For the Edmonton area, that means our warmest temperatures may actually arrive overnight and early Tuesday.

I think we’ll hit -5 C this afternoon in the city, then around or just above 0 C overnight.

Temperatures should remain steady in the 1 to 5 C range through most of Tuesday before beginning to drop in the late afternoon and evening.

On Wednesday we will briefly slip back into some cooler air before a longer spell takes over.

Daytime temperatures are likely to be in the 1 to 5 C range Thursday-Saturday.

Snowfall numbers are a bit uncertain Tuesday night/Wednesday.

I think we could get 2 to 5 inches of heavy, wet snow before we see it turn to some mixed precipitation or freezing rain late in the day Wednesday.

Here is the weather forecast for Edmonton and the area:

Today – Mostly cloudy.

Dinner: -10

16:00: -4

Tonight – Partly cloudy.

The temperature rises overnight.

21:00: -1

Midnight: 2

Tuesday – Partly cloudy in the morning, Mostly cloudy in the afternoon.

The temperature drops in the afternoon.

07:00: 2

Dinner: 4

15:00: 2

18.00: -3

60% chance of snow in the evening and overnight.

Wednesday – Cloudy with periods of snow in the morning. Rain/snow mix in the afternoon.

Morning low: -10

Afternoon high: -5

Thursday – Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers or rain/snow mix.

Morning low: -6

Afternoon celebration: 4

Friday – Mix of sun and clouds.

Morning low: -2

Afternoon celebration: 3

Saturday – Mixture of sun and clouds.

Morning low: -3

Afternoon celebration: 3