‘We call this heart attack snow’: Wet snow blankets Saskatoon

The city is reminding residents to drive cautiously over the next few days, with roads wet and slushy following a night of rain and now.

The city says the slushy conditions are expected to continue until Thursday.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) estimates Saskatoon will see up to 10 centimetres of snow throughout Wednesday with gusty winds up to 70 kilometres per hour.

ECCC says temperatures will stay near the freezing mark during the day and could reach -7C overnight.

ECCC meteorologist Terri Lang says this weather is quite typical for April as the province sees warmer air coming up from the south and the sun getting higher in the sky.

“We’re starting to get some warmth but there’s still colder air to the north,” Lang said.

“So when you have sort of that battleground going on between this warm air and colder air to the north, we tend to get this weather system and tend to get these big swings in temperature.”

Lang said the blustery weather will continue, however, much of the province has seen most of the snow it’s going to get.

“After a couple of blustery days we should see some recovery in temperature and start to see sort of a return to more seasonal values,” Lang said.

Lang reminds people to check the weather before heading out on the road because the snow is melting, leaving a lot of slush on the road.

When it comes to cleaning the snow, Lang advises to be careful as the heavy and wet snow might aggravate previous health conditions.

“This is very wet and heavy snow. We call this heart attack snow, just because it’s so wet and heavy. The exertion that the people can put out when they’re trying to clear it can bring sort of health conditions,” Lang said.

The City of Saskatoon said crews have been working throughout the night applying de-icing materials on Circle Drive, high-speed roads, and major intersections to prevent icing.

“Even with the use of salt to prevent icing, the fluctuation in temperature and wind gusting can create icy conditions. Drivers are reminded to leave extra time for travelling, slow down, and be cautious for the morning peak commute,” the city said.

The city says crews will be grading snow and slush from priority streets and sidewalks.