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Writer's pictureKyle Sooley-Brookings

Recap of Prairie Blizzard


An intense Alberta Clipper pushed across Alberta and Saskatchewan on Wednesday and Thursday bringing intense winds that caused widespread blowing snow and zero visibility at times.


In Saskatchewan rain and freezing rain ahead of the system quickly changed to snow and blowing snow as a cold front behind the system advanced eastward.


There were multiple power outages and several reports of damage. A number of semis were also tipped over due to the extreme gusts.


Peak wind gusts:


Alberta

  • Barnwell - 137 km/h (all time January record)

  • Sheerness - 124 km/h

  • Pinhorn - 124 km/h

  • Onefour - 122 km/h (all time January record)

  • Grassy Lake - 122 km/h

  • Lethbridge - 120 km/h

  • Iron Springs - 120 km/h

  • Blood Tribe - 119 km/h (all time January record)

  • Fincastle - 115 km/h (all time January record)

  • Irvine - 115 km/h

  • Bow Island - 113 km/h (ties all time January record)

  • Sedalia - 113 km/h

  • Hemaruka - 113 km/h

  • Bellshill - 113 km/h (all time January record)

  • Bassano - 113 km/h

  • Sunnynook - 113 km/h

  • Milk River - 111 km/h (all time January record)

  • Waterton - 111 km/h

  • Coronation - 111 km/h (all time January record)

  • Consort - 111 km/h (all time January record)

  • Masinasin - 111 km/h

  • Acadia Valley - 111 km/h

  • Medicine Hat - 109 km/h

  • Wrentham - 109 km/h

  • Oyen - 109 km/h

  • Seven Persons - 109 km/h

  • Pakowki Lake - 109 km/h

  • Hand Hills - 109 km/h

  • Ralston - 109 km/h

  • Gooseberry Lake - 109 km/h

  • Fleet - 109 km/h

  • Ardenville - 109 km/h

  • Stavely - 107 km/h

  • Craigmyle - 107 km/h

  • Kirriemuir - 107 km/h

  • Raymond - 106 km/h

  • Cadogan - 106 km/h

  • Alliance - 106 km/h

  • Social Plains - 106 km/h

  • Lodge Creek - 106 km/h

  • Finnegan - 106 km/h

  • Claresholm - 104 km/h

  • Hussar - 104 km/h

  • Travers - 104 km/h

  • Atlee - 104 km/h

  • Rainier - 104 km/h

  • Pincher Creek - 102 km/h

  • Brocket - 102 km/h

  • Foremost - 102 km/h

  • Carway - 102 km/h

  • Buffalo - 102 km/h

  • Cappon - 102 km/h

  • Enchant - 100 km/h

  • Cabin Lake - 100 km/h

  • Gilt Edge North - 100 km/h


Saskatchewan

  • Saskatoon Airport 102 km/h

  • Regina 126 km/h (record January peak wind gust)

  • Bratts Lake 143 km/h (record provincial January peak wind gust)

  • Yellowgrass 133 km/h

  • Weyburn 130 km/h

  • Estevan 126 km/h (record January peak wind gust)

  • Elbow 122 km/h

  • Lucky Lake 122 km/h

  • Mankota 120 km/h

  • Moose Jaw 119 km/h

  • Indian Head 117 km/h

  • Eastend Cypress 111 km/h (record January peak wind gust)

  • Swift Current 109 km/h

  • Rockglen 107 km/h

  • Assiniboia 104 km/h

  • Rosetown 104 km/h

  • Maple Creek 104 km/h

  • Coronach 102 km/h

  • Val Marie 102 km/h

  • Leader 100 km/h

  • Kindersley 100 km/h

There were also reports of freezing rain across east-central Alberta in the morning hours, leading to slick conditions here, with heavy snow being reported for areas north of Highway 16.


Based on ECCC Data


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