Western and Northern Canada faces frigid temperatures and snow ahead of Christmas

Much of Western and Northern Canada is bracing for a bitterly cold and snowy Christmas, with Environment Canada issuing a mix of snow advisories and extreme cold warnings across several provinces and territories.

Central Alberta is expected to see between 10 and 20 centimetres of snow by Christmas morning, prompting warnings for hazardous travel conditions on highways and local roads. Environment Canada is advising drivers to plan ahead and adjust travel plans where necessary as snowfall continues through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Cold warnings are also in effect across parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where wind chill values are forecast to dip between –45 and –50 C in some areas. Northern British Columbia is expected to experience similar conditions, with wind chill values reaching as low as –45 until midway through Christmas Day.

The Yukon continues to face prolonged extreme cold, with wind chills ranging from –45 to –55 C after several days of Arctic air settling over the territory. Environment Canada meteorologist Derek Lee said the cold pattern has been building for more than a week.

Lee said some relief may be on the horizon as weather systems move through the Yukon later this week, bringing cloud cover and moisture that could slightly moderate temperatures. While conditions are still expected to remain below seasonal norms, temperatures could rise by 10 to 20 degrees by the weekend, easing out of the most extreme cold.