While snowfall warning ends, ski hills relish in spring snow event

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As the snowfall warning for Calgary was lifted Thursday afternoon, ski hills in the region are grateful for the pristine powder that has graced their slopes, setting the stage for exceptional spring conditions.

Senior manager of communications for WinSport ski hill, Dale Oviatt, called it “perfect timing.”

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“Given that we’ve got 11 days left in our season, this is the perfect combination of extra snow and cold to make sure that we can get through the end of the year,” he said.

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Oviatt said the ski hill started planning for the El Niño last summer, but that it wasn’t as concerning as originally feared.

“Given that 97 per cent of our snow is manmade, we just have to take advantage of the cold weather windows when they do happen. Despite El Niño and other weather patterns, certainly there is always a window to make snow,” he said.

As the weather warms people start planning for summer activities, Oviatt said, so the snow dump helps keep a focus on the end of the ski season when “people want to get a few more runs in.

“We don’t get many powder days here within the city, and I think people will take advantage of it, for sure.”

Lots of snow and a little bit below-zero temperatures make for perfect conditions for skiers and snowboarders, Oviatt said.

“Come prepared in layers because we don’t know what the temperature will be on a given day, and certainly allow yourself some time — especially on the weekend — as people try to get these last two weekends of the season in,” he said.

WinSport’s ski season ends on March 31.

More snow expected

Justin Shelley, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, says that while the snowfall tapered off over the course of Thursday, another dump is expected on the weekend.

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“It looks like between Saturday and Sunday, we can expect maybe upwards of 10 centimetres of snow. And that is sort of a similar story to what we’re seeing over areas farther south — except areas between Pincher Creek and Lethbridge, towards Cypress Hill; they can see an additional 10 to 15 centimetres over the weekend,” he said, adding that by Sunday there will be a shift in the pattern, but temperatures aren’t forecasted to rise significantly.

“Early next week it looks to be a bit more dry — still relatively cool — we’re still going to see those temperatures sort of below normal for this time of year.”

Calgary can expect scattered snowfall Friday.

Banff Sunshine Village welcomes snow with gusto

Kendra Scurfield, vice-president of brand and communications at Banff Sunshine Village, said the cold temperatures mean ski hill operators can finally look forward to happy customers on the slopes.

March is traditionally the snowiest month in the province, and it is holding true to form, Scrufield said.

“Previous to this storm, we had already received over 50 centimetres, and now we’re getting another storm just in time for all the spring breaks, so we are expecting to have and welcome skiers from around the world for the season,” Scurfield said. “And we hope that they all enjoy some of this delicious new snow.”

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Scurfield said the month of March can be a “wild card.”

“This week’s weather has really added so much more snow and precipitation to our area, and then other Marches have been dryer, so it is a very nice surprise,” she said.

Like Oviatt, Scurfield recommends dressing in layers that are water-absorbent or sun-resistant, and to “wear lots of sunscreen and drink lots of water because you can get dehydrated quicker at elevation.”

Despite warning ending, RCMP asking motorists to delay travel

Calgary police said from midnight until Thursday at 4 p.m., there were 96 collisions and eight hit-and-runs.

Alberta RCMP responded to 52 collisions on Wednesday on the QEII between Edmonton and Calgary.

Additional serious collisions have been reported throughout the province, RCMP said in a written statement Thursday morning.

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