It's time to brace yourself for some wild wind gusts.

Sara Hoffman with Environment and Climate Change Canada says to expect some pretty strong winds leading into the afternoon and evening.

"We are expecting winds to pick up this afternoon to at most 100 kilometres per hour, and then the strongest winds we're expecting to happen overnight Tuesday where they could increase to 130 kilometres per hour."

She says the chinook conditions are from a south/westerly flow from the Pacific and noted the latest atmospheric river in BC bringing strong winds and moisture up and over the mountains.

"As it sinks down the mountainside, it is actually warmed and creates these really strong winds."

It's important to secure any items that could be tossed around by the wind or to bring them indoors.

She says it also presents a hazard for people on the road, especially semi drivers.

"If you're travelling north/south, you will be in a crosswind situation, and you're vehicle if it's empty and it's high profile can be affected by the wind. It can be either pushed off the road or even flipped."

It's likely this won't be the last time we see winds like this in the coming weeks.

"December and November are very historically common months for chinooks, so I wouldn't be surprised to see more events like this into December as well."

With the wind though, some warmer temperatures are also rolling in.

"Because the winds really pick up tonight and we get that warm air coming in from BC tonight with that chinook, we have some of our warmest temperatures occurring overnight tonight, and then we'll have a cooling trend tomorrow with a cold front coming through and these chinook winds turning off."

She says overnight on Tuesday is expected to have temperatures up to 16 degrees, with a daytime high of 18 C early on Wednesday (Dec. 1) and temperatures dropping thereafter.

The lowest temperature recorded for Dec. 1 was in 2014 at -20.7 C, with the highest ever in 2017 at 6.7 C.

Hoffman also says we might even see some snow before the end of the week.

"On Thursday we actually have this cold front that sweeps through, and that should bring an area of either rain or snow with it."


A wind warning has been issued for the following areas:

- Foothills Co. near Cayley
- Foothills Co. near High River and Aldersyde
- Foothills Co. near Longview and Eden Valley Res.
- Foothills Co. near Okotoks and De Winton
- Foothills Co. near Priddis and Brown-Lowery Prov. Park
- Foothills Co. near Turner Valley and Black Diamond
- M.D. of Willow Creek near Claresholm and Stavely
- M.D. of Willow Creek near Nanton and Parkland
- Rocky View Co. near Bragg Creek and Tsuu T'ina Res.

 

 Questions, comments, or story ideas? Email news@okotoksonline.com