One of the most extreme cold anomalies on Earth is over Canada
Exceptional, departure-from-normal temperatures have been unfolding across parts of Canada, home to the world's coldest anomalies outside of Antarctica.
The world’s coldest temperature anomaly comparable to Antarctica is swirling across Alberta and Saskatchewan.
In fact, the temperature anomaly is so extreme for southern Alberta that it’s cooler than typical winter temperatures in the Calgary and Medicine Hat area.
An exceptional departure-from-normal temperatures has been unfolding across the western Prairies, with those expected to linger into Monday.
Daytime highs and overnight lows would be more typical in the first half of March, and late April for Saskatchewan. They would be even cooler than the average winter temperature in Alberta.
Saturday temperatures
Saskatoon, Sask., has a daytime high of -4°C forecast for Saturday, the average high for the second week of March.
Calgary, Alta., has a daytime high of -2°C forecast for Sunday, cooler than the average winter high.
December: -0.6°C
January: -1°C
February: 0°C
Calgary is facing the coldest high this late in the year since May 8, 1996 (-2.6°C).
Edmonton, Alta., has a daytime high of -3°C forecast for Sunday, the average high for the first week of March.
Medicine Hat, Alta., has a forecast high of -3°C, which is exceptional, and is cooler than the monthly winter average temperature.
December: -1.2°C
January: -2.7°C
February: -0.3°C
It will be the coldest this late in the year since April 28, 1966 (3.3°C daytime high).
A frigid air mass with origins from
Southern Hemisphere challenger?
There’s only a single place on Earth that can rival these temperature anomalies, and that’s in Antarctica. This weekend, computer models highlight temperatures up to 20°C below normal across the continent.
Remarkable temperature contrast
British Columbia is basking in seasonably warm temperatures, as the cold air remains wedged east of the Rocky Mountains. An extreme example of this is looking at temperatures in Osoyoos and Kamloops, where temperatures will be comfortably in the mid-teens.
Q: Where did this cold air come from?
A: On Tuesday and Wednesday, the air mass was over eastern Siberia and northern Alaska, and was directed south by riding in the eastern Pacific and the deep Prairie trough.
Q: Does this mean the coldest temperatures in the world are on the Prairies?
A: No, this is measuring the deviation from normal temperatures. Temperatures in Antarctica are currently forecast to be around -70°C this weekend, while temperatures in northern Nunavut and Greenland are forecast to fall below -30°C.
Q: How far below normal are temperatures expected to be this weekend?
A: The forecast temperatures are nearly 20°C below the seasonal mark
Q: What’s an average high for the final week of April?
Edmonton: 13°C
Calgary: 13°C
Medicine Hat: 15°C
Saskatoon: 14°C