Banff 
Thanksgiving weekend in Alberta could come with an early taste of winter this year, as a developing weather system threatens to bring the season’s first accumulating snowfall to much of the province.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued a special weather statement on Thursday, October 8, warning that snow could disrupt travel over the holiday weekend, particularly on Saturday, October 10.
The heaviest snowfall is forecast for western Alberta, where Grande Cache, Hinton and Jasper National Park could receive more than 20 centimetres.
However, the weather system is not expected to remain confined to the mountains. Snow could reach communities along the busy Calgary-Edmonton corridor, potentially complicating Thanksgiving travel plans.
When will the snow arrive?
The change will happen gradually over several days.
Rain is expected to spread across northern Alberta on Thursday, October 8, before changing to snow in west-central Alberta on Friday, October 9.
By Saturday, October 10, accumulating snow is possible across much of the province, including Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton.
The snowfall should gradually ease from north to south on Sunday, October 11, ahead of Thanksgiving Monday.
Which Alberta communities are under weather alerts?
ECCC’s special weather statements cover a large portion of Alberta, including:
- Calgary and surrounding areas: Calgary, nearby Foothills County communities and the Calgary-Edmonton corridor.
- Edmonton and central Alberta: Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Red Deer, Camrose, Wetaskiwin and surrounding communities.
- Western Alberta and the Rockies: Jasper National Park, Hinton, Grande Cache, Banff National Park, Lake Louise, Nordegg and Rocky Mountain House.
- Northwestern Alberta: Grande Prairie, Beaverlodge, Sexsmith and surrounding communities.
- Other affected areas: Athabasca, Lloydminster, Stettler, Vegreville, Vermilion, Brooks and parts of southern Alberta.
Thanksgiving travel could be affected
Special weather statements also cover Highway 93 between Jasper and Saskatchewan River Crossing and between Lake Louise and Saskatchewan River Crossing.
Environment Canada is urging travellers to “Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions.”
With snowfall amounts still uncertain across much of Alberta, if you are planning Thanksgiving road trips, you should monitor the latest forecasts and alerts.
