Potential for extreme cold outbreak in the Prairies by early February
Arctic air has retreated well to the north for the time being, but there are growing signs that a significant blast of bitterly cold, Arctic air will infiltrate the Prairies and parts of northern Ontario starting at the end of this month and into the second week of February. Temperatures may average as much as 6 to 12 degrees Celsius, below normal across the Prairies during early February.
<img src="https://vortex.accuweather.com/adc2004/pub/includes/columns/miscellaneous/2018/590x331_01241430_pagegg.jpg"/>
While it will turn colder in eastern Canada starting around Feb. 2, the core of the cold will likely remain to the north and west through at least Feb. 10.
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A breakdown of potential events.....</strong>
--Weak system may produce a few cm of snow across southern Alberta late Saturday.
--By Tuesday,an Arctic cold front pushes through southern Alberta and central Saskatchewan, which will signal the first initial blast of very cold air.
--There are some indications of a potential snow event for Nova Scotia and PEI Sunday night into Monday. Not a major storm, but one that could produce a light to moderate accumulation.
--Parts of Ontario and Quebec may get a period of snow or mixed precipitation Tuesday night into Wednesday as a warm front approaches. It may be too warm for snow across southwestern Ontario.
<strong>Clues to the longer range........</strong>
--Turn to colder pattern arrives in southern Ontario around Feb. 2.
--Stormier pattern from Quebec into Atlantic Canada from Jan. 30 to Feb. 4 with potential for at least two snow events, while rain favored near the coast.
--Pattern remains stormy across Atlantic Canada from Feb. 5-12 with significant snow possible away from the coast.
--Drier pattern for southwestern BC for the second and third week of February.
--Pattern also trends drier for eastern and Atlantic Canada between Feb. 12 and 19.
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