AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of the reported event.
- calendar_today October 25, 2026
Saskatchewan Faces High Winds and Early Snowfall
This past weekend brought dramatic weather changes to Saskatchewan, with many residents encountering high winds and a mix of snowy and wet conditions across various regions of the province.
Strong Wind Gusts Recorded in Southern Saskatchewan
Brad Vrolijk, a forecaster with Environment and Climate Change Canada, reported that the strongest winds were observed mainly in the southern half of Saskatchewan. Wind gusts reached up to 103 kilometres per hour at Twin Lakes, a smaller campground area. Other notable wind speeds included 98 km/h in Prince Albert, 95 km/h in Climax, 93 km/h in Yorkton, and 91 km/h in North Battleford.
According to Vrolijk, powerful wind gusts during the fall and spring are not unusual. He explained, “In the shoulder seasons, fall and spring tend to be when we get our strongest storm systems. And these winds were produced by a very strong low pressure system that moved out of Montana and lifted north and really affected most of the Prairies yesterday.” Vrolijk added that such wind events typically occur a couple of times each year in the region.
Snowfall Accumulation Mainly in the Far North
While high winds were mainly felt in the south, snowfall was more prominent in northern Saskatchewan. It fell mostly north of a line running from the southwest to northeast near Key Lake. Vrolijk noted, “You had to be pretty far north to get snow.” Collins Bay was among the areas with significant snowfall accumulation, with best estimates pointing to between 25 and 35 centimetres of snow, based on a total of 47 mm of precipitation recorded as temperatures hovered near or below freezing.
At Key Lake, a mix of rain and snow was observed, with 16 mm of precipitation and snow depth rising to 12 centimetres on the ground. In contrast, the southern areas primarily saw rain during the weekend event.
Road Closures Due to Snow in the North
The substantial snowfall in the far north led to travel disruptions. As of Sunday afternoon, Highway 905 from Points North Landing to Stony Rapids was closed. Travel was not recommended for much of the highway south of Points North, reflecting the impact of rapid weather changes on road conditions.
Powerful Storm System Moves Through the Prairies
The storm system originated in Montana and tracked northward, intensifying as it moved across Saskatchewan toward northwestern Manitoba. “We saw a pretty rapid intensification of the storm through yesterday morning and afternoon as it moved,” said Vrolijk. This low pressure system was responsible for both the high winds in the south and significant snowfall in the north.
Outlook for Saskatchewan Weather
With fall weather deepening, Vrolijk emphasized that residents should prepare for more mixed precipitation. “We’re getting to that time of year now where most weather systems that come through will probably produce a mix of rain and snow and trending more towards the snow side over the next couple weeks,” he said. A continued shift towards colder and snowier conditions is expected in upcoming forecasts.
Source: cbc.ca.
