Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the Cochrane area this weekend as a massive deluge of rain is expected to hit the Bow and Elbow River basins beginning Friday.
The governmental weather service has stated that it expects heavy precipitation and strong winds this weekend over southern Alberta. Rain will begin Friday, with the heaviest precipitation forecast to fall along the Alberta foothills and the greater Calgary area.
General precipitation amounts will range between 50 to 100 mm by Sunday afternoon, Environment Canada said, with some areas along the southern foothills possibly getting between 100-200 mm of rain.
Cooler temperatures will move into the region on Friday night, causing the rain in the more mountainous areas of the southern foothills to turn to snow. That snow will be very wet and heavy, Environment Canada said, and accumulations will be “highly variable.”
Upwards of 10 to 20 cm is possible over the highest terrain such as Highwood Pass and southern sections of Highway 93.
Strong northerly winds will also develop on Saturday, with gusts of 60-80 km/h. The strong winds combined with the recent rainfall could result in tree damage, Environment Canada stated.
Temperatures are expected to return to more seasonal averages early next week.
