We're thinking Mother Nature may have our seasons confused as parts of western Canada face a HEAVY swath of snow right on the first day of summer.
Instead of abundant sunshine and pleasant temperatures more reminiscent of the favoured season, snowfall warnings have stretched across the higher elevations of the Rockies and into parts of the B.C. Interior this week. That's as an extremely slow and moisture-packed system dumps heavy, flooding rains on other parts of the Prairies.
While this early summer snow isn't completely unheard of for the region, more than 20 cm this late in June seems to be pretty excessive even by the heartiest of standards. Up to 25 cm had already fallen over higher terrain near Banff and Jasper by early Friday morning with another 10 cm expected before all's said and done for the Icefield Parkway Highway 93.
Snow in June? You're thinking Calgary, but it's not. It's the Okanagan Connector. pic.twitter.com/WkkQR0BmH2
— Travis Lowe (@Travis_Global) June 19, 2019
THIS IS SUMMER IN WESTERN CANADA
Snowfall to valley bottom in Kananaskis Village this morning...wet snow avalanches reported, as the alpine picks up large amounts of snow today! #abstorm https://t.co/nM6k8rYQlh
— Kyle Brittain (@KyleTWN) June 21, 2019
Road update for Jasper National Park:
— Jasper National Park (@JasperNP) June 20, 2019
Traffic is moving slowly on Icefields Parkway near Columbia Icefields.
Travel is NOT RECOMMENDED for Icefields Parkway.
Always check https://t.co/SYz4cozZ5N for road conditions.
Webcam: https://t.co/1OJJgkNXbE
25cm of snow measured today the Columbia Icefields and Glacier Skywalk. I don't see many people out on the buried patio this evening #abstorm pic.twitter.com/WVGGiruG8t
— Brandon Houck (@HouckisPokise) June 21, 2019
Happy first day of summer ❄️! At 0800 MDT we observed 20.7 cm of accumulation and a SWE of 44 mm @SkiFortress @GWFutures @sciencesUQAM @UNBCGeography @usask_water @umanitoba #summersolstice #ABstorm pic.twitter.com/Fu7TWPbthJ
— gwf-spade (@GwfSpade) June 21, 2019
These photos were sent in by Julie Hanly of Highway 93 by the Icefields Parkway yesterday. Up to 25 cm of snow was recorded along the highway, another 5 cm possible today. #SayItAintSnow #Summer? #Alberta #ClassicAlberta #ABstorm pic.twitter.com/BRXrmSNmUd
— Tiffany Lizée (@TiffanyGlobal) June 21, 2019
Reader Comments
Moving South won't help you.
The Southern hemisphere, is becoming increasingly energised.
So stay where you are, and watch the next Ice age come marching in.