Canada weather: West sees first snowfall

Canada is getting served a smorgasbord of weather this week.

The West saw its first sign of winter, while the eastern half of Canada experienced summer-like temperatures on Tuesday.

“The fall season — September and October — has been pretty tame across Canada this year,” Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips said.

But this week Canadians will get a little taste of winter.

Calgary commuters woke up to slippery roads Tuesday morning following the city’s first blast of snow this season.

Parts of southern Alberta saw a few centimetres of snow, according to Phillips. In the mountains, upwards of 25 centimetres was expected to fall and Fort McMurray was hit with 13 centimetres.

In Brooks, Alta., there was enough accumulation to build a life-sized snowman.

Brooks, Alta., received enough snow for residents to build snowmen on Monday evening. (Viewer submitted)

A diluted wintery mix entered Saskatchewan on Tuesday morning as temperatures stayed in the single digits.

Flakes fell in Regina and Saskatoon. The snow was enough to force people to dig out warmer clothes, but not enough to accumulate on the ground.

“Those are just a teaser,” Phillips said.

“We’re going to see by the weekend double-digit temperatures, wall-to-wall sunshine and all that snow will be a distant memory because of the warm ground and the warm air.”

The cold front is pushing its way across the country and expected to settle into Ontario by Wednesday or Thursday, according to Environment Canada.

“All good things have to come to an end,” Phillips said.

Toronto reaped the benefits with an above-seasonal high of 23 C on Tuesday. In Halifax, many enjoyed blue sky and sunshine walking along the harbour.

Phillips said temperatures in Ontario will drop to a few degrees below normal in the coming days. Atlantic Canada will likely see the shift near the end of the weekend.

This cooldown is just a blip in the current system, Phillips said. November’s forecast shows warmer-than-usual temperatures.

Once winter does hit, Canada can expect a colder season compared to last year’s El Nino. This year, La Nina is expected to bring cooler arctic air to the country.

“I don’t think it will be brutal. I don’t think it will be punishing,” Phillips said.

“It’s not going to be that. I think maybe just closer to normal or less cold than we think.”