Environment Canada has issued winter storm watches for parts of southern Alberta and frost advisories in the north as icy weather moves in on the province.
The frost advisories were issued Wednesday afternoon for the areas of Fort McMurray-Fort MacKay and the High Level region.
Temperatures will likely drop below zero degrees Celsius and Environment Canada is warning that frost could damage farmers’ crops.
“Cover up plants, especially those in frost-prone areas,” the agency said.
CTV News Edmonton meteorologist Josh Classen said temperatures will be near-zero Thursday and Friday morning. A hard, killing frost is likely this weekend with temperatures dropping near or below minus five Saturday and Sunday morning.
In the south, a winter storm watch is in effect for southwest Alberta including Cardston-Fort Macleod-Magrath, Crowsnest Pass-Pincher Creek-Waterton Lakes, Kananaskis-Canmore and Okotoks-High River-Claresholm.
“A long duration snowfall event starting the afternoon of Friday September 27 through Monday September 30 is anticipated for parts of southwestern Alberta as a moisture laden Pacific weather system tracks through the area,” Environment Canada said.
The forecast suggests that between 15 to 30 centimetres of snow accumulation could be possible by Monday.
Higher terrain in the southwest corner could see snowfall totals of more than 50 centimetres.
"In Calgary, western parts of that area could get some accumulation while much of the city is probably looking at most of the snow melting on contact and not really amounting to much," according to Classen.
Environment Canada is asking Albertans to report severe weather by emailing abstorm@canada.ca or tweeting with the hashtag #ABStorm.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Josh Classen.
