The mild and foggy weather that’s descended on the province for the past couple weeks is in the proverbial rear view, says Environment and Climate Change Canada. After a temperature bump near the pluses later this week, expect temperature to plunge into a prolonged cold spell. 

“There’s a frontal boundary that’s draped across Saskatchewan,” says Kyle Ziolkowski, operational meteorologist with Environment Canada. “As a result, there are different low pressure systems that keep rolling down. As they do, we’ll get these temperature fluctuations from warm to cold.”

One of those sliding lows is set to bring some snow and spike the temperatures around Thursday this week. Models show that precipitation will most likely fall as snow with a minimal chance of freezing rain, says Ziolkowski Shortly after that low shuffles through, the cold air arrives. 

“An arctic high follows in behind it after that, and we start to see temperatures fall back to normal and actually below normal in some spots. It’s much cooler in Manitoba, and as you slide over to southern Alberta, temperatures should be near normal. In your area, daytime highs will be around -20 and lows pushing -30.”

Average temperatures for the region this time of year show daytime highs near -10 and nighttime lows around -17. 

Those temperatures lock into place next week, says Ziolkowski, and into the foreseeable future. Another system will have to present itself to move the cold arctic bubble, and Environment Canada models aren’t showing anything developing. 

Enjoy the one-day respite from the cold because the reminder of January, at least,  looks to be a frosty one.