Temperatures are expected to gradually drop throughout the week, with a projecteed high of minus 27 for Sunday in Grande Prairie (Photo: Curtis Galbraith)

By Shaun Penner

temperature drop

Cold snap settles into Grande Prairie area

Jan 6, 2020 | 12:07 PM

After a seasonably warmer December, the deep freeze has finally arrived in Grande Prairie and the rest of the Peace Country.

With an expected high of minus 14 for Monday, Meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada Dan Kulak says temperatures will continue to decline for the next week to 10 days.

“A series of weather disturbances moving through Alberta,” said Kulak “As these systems move through, the cold air is going to become deeper and deeper across northern Alberta, and we are looking at possibly a high of minus 27 for Grande Prairie on Sunday.”

He adds that snow is also expected most days through the cold snap, with totals by Sunday possibly reaching 15-20 centimetres. Kulak says that the snow that does fall in these types of temperatures tends to be quite fluffy and light.

“Even if you do get 15 centimetres or 20 centimetres, it’s not a lot of weight to it. It tends to blow around, it’s easier to shovel,” said Kulak. “The big thing is going to be the fact of temperatures moving from a relatively mild December into the first part of January. Essentially, we’re going to have the second week, maybe into the third week of the month, (with) temperatures significantly cooler than normal.”

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Though the temperatures are not expected to get down to where they did last winter (between minus 30 and 40, plus wind chill) during this cold snap, Kulak does suggest temperatures will stay down for at least a week.

“Essentially, I think, through the better part of next week is what we should be expecting as a minimum for how long this cold weather is going to last.”