Rain and freezing rain in central and northern Alberta tonight

Freezing rain warnings are in effect for a large portion of northern and east-central Alberta. That warning was expanded to include the City of Edmonton and surrounding areas late Friday afternoon.

Temperatures will hover around the freezing mark in the city through this evening, but some areas in the Edmonton region will be two or three degrees below zero and that could be cold enough for the showers to freeze on contact.

Note: Rain and freezing rain are essentially the same precipitation type. Both are wet in the air, it’s what happens to that rain when it hits the ground that differentiates the two. Rain stays wet on contact, while freezing rain turns to ice when it hits surface.

Precipitation will move southeast across central and northern Alberta through this evening and overnight. It should move out of the Edmonton region around midnight. East-central Alberta will see the precipitation linger through into the early-morning hours of Saturday.

Drivers should check road conditions before heading out, especially on highways north and east of Edmonton, and prepare to postpone or cancel travel plans overnight and early Saturday.

Here’s a look at the timing and location of that precipitation:

The most likely timing for precipitation in the Edmonton region is between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Friday.

Gusty wind will likely develop behind the system for at least the first half of the day Saturday.