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Winter has come to an end but the promise of May flowers after spring showers will have to wait.
A harsh blast of wintry weather is expected to hit Alberta Tuesday, bringing heavy snow to the west and brutal cold to the north.
A series of snowfall warnings are in effect for regions stretching from Slave Lake and Grande Prairie down to Hinton and Edson and through the Rockies to mountain communities including Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff.
A long and heavy snowfall is expected to bury large swaths of northern and western Alberta, Environment Canada cautioned Tuesday.
The prolonged snowstorm, expected to last two days, is forecast to bring between 15 to 25 centimetres of snow to affected communities.
Snow will develop throughout the day and intensify Tuesday evening, Environment Canada said.
The heaviest snow will end Wednesday morning.
Travel is expected to be challenging with poor visibility and drifting snow. Drivers are advised to monitor conditions and allow extra time for travel.
Meanwhile, in the far northeastern corner of the province, residents are being told to brace for brutal cold.
Communities including Fort Chipewyan are facing very cold wind chill values, with biting winds that will make it feel like it’s –40 C.
The region is facing afternoon highs Tuesday around –20 C with overnight lows expected to plummet to –31 C.
Environment Canada cautions that extreme cold puts everyone at risk and frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with the extreme wind chill.
Residents in the affected communities are advised to watch for symptoms of exposure including shortness of breath, chest pain, and muscle weakness, as well as numbness and colour change in fingers and toes.
The extreme cold is expected to ease by Friday.
