Wind warning issued for Calgary with gusts close to 90 km/h

Strong winds blowing through Calgary. Jodi Hughes has a look at the five-day forecast from the Sky Watch Weather Centre.

Intense wind continued to impact the Calgary region early Friday with reported sustained wind speeds of 49 to 62 km/h at YYC International, and wind gusts of 76 to 87 km/h from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m.

This came on the heels of two days of intense wind speeds across the region. Late Thursday afternoon chunks of metal fell from one of the Plus 15 walkways on 2 Avenue S.W. between 3 Street S.W. and 4 Street S.W.

On Thursday night, Calgary was placed under a special weather statement by Environment and Climate Change Canada, but removed from that advisory before 6 a.m. Friday.

There were reports of downed telecommunications lines in the Dalhousie area just after 7 a.m. Friday, and CTV News Calgary received reports of downed trees in northeast Calgary around 8 a.m.

The city was eventually placed under a yellow-level wind warning just after 9 a.m. with the national weather agency explaining, “After a prolonged period of strong winds, gusts have now intensified to near 90 km/h in the Calgary region this morning.”

A decision was made to cancel the Calgary Expo Parade of Wonders later that morning due to the risk associated with damaging wind.

ECCC forecasters anticipate the wind will gradually weaken throughout the afternoon and diminish overnight but advise, “High-sided vehicles will be pushed around by the wind. Some property damage is possible.”

As of 9:30 a.m., the special weather statement remains in effect for areas along the eastern portion of Alberta from the international border to south of Fort McMurray.

“Snowfall and local blowing snow will create challenging travel conditions today. Snowfall accumulations of 2 to 5 cm are expected today. Visibility may be reduced in bands of heavier snow and local blowing snow, and snow may accumulate on the roads suddenly. Gusty winds may also make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.”

North of the statement there is an orange-level snowfall warning in place with between 30 to 50 centimetres of total snow accumulation expected.

That snow could pose a significant risk to travellers with ECCC warning, “Road closures are possible. Non-essential travel should be avoided. Take frequent breaks and avoid strain when clearing snow. Keep roofs clear to avoid the danger of heavy snow loads. If you become stranded, protect yourself by staying in your vehicle.”

These unusual conditions are all linked to a massive and potent low-pressure system situated in the eastern Prairies.

A number of orange-level warnings remain in effect for Saskatchewan and Manitoba including winter storm warnings, snowfall warnings, freezing rain warnings and blizzard warnings.

That low is going to remain in place until the end of the weekend, drawing in moisture from the Gulf, with cold arctic air feeding in from the north.

Temperatures will remain well-below seasonal on the western side of this system and bands of heavy snow are possible as far west as central and southern Alberta.

Calgary could see some snow on Friday and Saturday, but the greatest impact will likely be wind and temperature-related.

Wind and precipitation will likely combine to impact visibility at times on Friday, with sustained north and northwest winds of 40 to 60 km/h expected to last until the late evening along with wind gusts of 70 to 90 km/h.

Temperatures in Calgary will not rise above 0 C until Monday. The normal high for the city this time of year is 13 C.