So while one may not cause the other, they often go hand-in-hand. ![]() When that disturbance moves over the Rockies and forms the low-pressure system that will be the Alberta Clipper, we often see the wind travelling over the mountains from the west, allowing for a chinook in the south. With a clipper's formation, a system in the Pacific weakens and forms again on the east side of the Rocky Mountains. So while chinooks aren't storms, they can bring extremely windy weather and cause temperatures to rise by 10 or even 20 degrees.Ĭhinooks can form at the same time as clippers, which brings us back to how they're related. The resulting relatively dry air rushes down the east side, compressing and warming up at a faster rate before blowing into areas, like Calgary, that border those mountains.ĭuration 0:46 Featured VideoThe science behind those warm winter winds and beautiful skyscapes. Warm Pacific air travels over the mountains, cooling and losing a lot of moisture. They can cause white-out or blizzard conditions by whipping up any snow that fell while the clipper moved through, and drive extreme wind chills as temperatures plunge after the system has passed.Īlberta Clipper bringing blizzard conditions across southern SaskatchewanĪ chinook and a clipper system are different but often connected.Ĭhinooks refer to the warm winds that rush down the east side of the Rocky Mountains. You may think that the worst part of a clipper is the snow, but these systems are usually on the drier side. What are the biggest risks with clipper systems? The wind will pick up out of the north or northwest, ushering in a rapid change from mild weather to cold temperatures and aggressive wind chills.īecause these storms move so fast, we'll often see all of these conditions within a day or less. (Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways)Īs the clipper develops in Alberta, we're in what is known as the warm sector and will often see balmy weather.īut when that cold front passes, things start to change. The Highway Hotline camera near Martensville, Sask., showed blizzard-like conditions in January as a clipper system moved through. ![]() ![]() What you see depends on where that low is positioned relative to you. (Hence the name.) As they sail across the prairies, these systems can affect weather in Ontario and the eastern United States.Īlberta Clippers typically develop in the winter and can bring wild, rapid swings in the weather. These low-pressure systems, or storms, develop on the east side of the Rocky Mountains and they speed along like a clipper ship on the ocean. It's called that because of where it forms and how fast it moves. The Alberta Clipper is another name for a storm. Sound ominous? Well, let's demystify the term. But in fact, this everything-but-the-kitchen-sink sort of prairie weather is often the result of the dreaded Alberta Clipper. If you feel like this winter has been a weather roller-coaster, you aren't alone.įrom mild and melting to snowstorms to -10 C and really windy, the fluctuations seem to come out of nowhere. Meteorologist Christy Climenhaga will bring her expert voice to the conversation to help explain weather phenomena and climate change and how it impacts everyday life. ![]() CBC Alberta and Saskatchewan have teamed up for a new pilot series on weather and climate change on the prairies.
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