When thunder roars, go indoors!

Environment and Climate Change Canada - Did you know that Lightning Safety Week is next week, from June 11 to 17? As we head into summer, lightning awareness becomes ever more important. Every year, lightning can cause as many as 10 deaths and 164 injuries, in Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada has information to help Canadians reduce their exposure to the risk of lightning. Lightning-related injuries and deaths can be avoided by knowing when to take action and what to do.

MD of Pincher Creek warns of potential for overland flooding

Castle River during 2013 flood event (Brent and Gloria Barbero photo)

The MD of Pincher Creek has published a warning about the potential for overland flooding in the next few weeks. "A great deal of our neighboring municipalities in Southern Alberta are experiencing overland flooding within their boundaries. Due to our topography, the MD of Pincher Creek has not experienced significant overland flooding to date."

According to the release, "The weather forecasted in the next few weeks may result in a significant melt of the existing snowpack.  Residents should prepare for dealing with overland water flows that will pool in low areas and may cause dangerous situations where it is flowing. MD roads will continue to be soft and may be crossed by floodwaters where flow exceeds culvert capacity."

Pincher Creek area highway and weather reports for Feb. 27, 2018

9:50am, Feb 27, 28
Please continue to use the East access to #PincherCreek. Travel on hwy 6 between Pincher Creek and Pincher Station is not recommended. pic.twitter.com/3TJ6skwH8K

— Pincher Creek (@town_of_pc) February 27, 2018

09:14 EnvCanada ended warning #Wind #PincherCreek #ABStorm https://t.co/mP1VZW2U6K

— PincherCreek (@ECAlertAB46) February 27, 2018

Use caution on highway 22 North of 3 ice and blowing snow still causing issues pic.twitter.com/e1g6kChPJB

— Emergency Services (@DeputyChiefPCES) February 27, 2018

Pincher fire is responding to a two vehicle accident on highway 22 near 8-4 use caution roads are slippery with blowing snow

— Emergency Services (@DeputyChiefPCES) February 27, 2018

8:25am, Feb 27, 2018
Travel on Highway 6 from Pincher Creek to Pincher Station is NOT recommended at this time.

The Town of Pincher Creek and Volker Stevin are currently working on this area however at this time if possible please use an alternate route. #PincherCreek

— Pincher Creek (@town_of_pc) February 27, 2018

Wild winter weather in Pincher Creek, February 2018

Misty Afdahl photos

Here's a collection of photos and videos from last week's extreme winter weather event in the Pincher Creek area.  If you want in on this, it's not too late - send your photos and videos to pinchercreekvoice@gmail.com .

Tammy Jensen Jack photo

It wasn't just people who were snowed in! - Laurie Ann Hofer

Afternoon February 23 on Florence St. Pincher Creek - Joanne Wittkopf

Mats Kaack enjoying the snow in Lundbreck

Submitted by Bonnie Kaack

Pincher Creek rallies to deal with extreme winter weather event

Snow drifts on Pincher Creek's north hill west of the Ranchland Mall - Alyssa Cameron photo

T. Lucas/C.Davis - On Friday, February 23 blowing snow, whiteouts, and icy conditions made driving hazardous in and around southwestern Alberta. At 5:35 pm 511 Alberta announced Highway 3 was closed from Pincher Station to Fort MacLeod, with Highway 6 open southbound only into Pincher Creek from Highway 3. Highway 3 was also closed 10 miles west of Coleman due to a motor vehicle collision. Travellers were diverted into the town of Pincher Creek, where hotels and motels were quickly filled to capacity. For hours prior to the closures travel on area highways was extremely dangerous due to lengthy stretches of whiteouts and snow drifts. Rapidly drifting snow in the town also stranded many motorists, and area roads were littered with stuck vehicles.

Travel on Highway 3 west of Coleman to BC not recommended

Highway 3: 1.9 km east of Alberta BC. border near Crowsnest Pass

Highway 3 west of Coleman to BC, travel not recommended at this time (Tuesday, February 8, 12:20 pm) according to @511Alberta road conditions map .

Highway 2 southbound impassable at Didsbury

Update: Traffic flow has resumed on Highway 2 southbound and is no longer being diverted.  Extreme winter driving conditions continue to affect travel on Highway 2 north and south of Calgary. Travel is still not recommended

RCMP across Alberta continue to warn of poor weather / driving conditions

RCMP Alberta -  The RCMP continue to respond to collisions and warn holiday traffic of poor driving conditions in various locations across the province.

Shortly after 1:00 p.m. today, Fox Creek RCMP were dispatched to a multi vehicle pile up on Highway 43, eastbound lanes, approximately 20 kms east of Fox Creek. This collision was in the valley near the Iosegun River. A secondary 15 vehicle pileup occurred shortly after, approximately 1 km east of the initial collision scene.

The RCMP can confirm that one adult male succumbed to his injuries received in the initial reported collision.

The northbound lane of Highway 43 at Fox Creek is open and traffic is flowing. Traffic is stopped southbound, and is currently backed up for several kilometres. Tow trucks are actively working on trying to remove all vehicles blocking traffic. It is anticipated that this will take approximately one more hour.

RCMP Members remain on scene to continue to safely funnel as much traffic as possible in either direction.

In other areas of this province, snowfall continues.

The Cochrane RCMP are now reporting white out conditions with extremely limited visibility in the follow areas: Highway 1, Highway 1A, Highway 22, and all other roads in the Cochrane area, west of Calgary.

In the interest of trying to help keep travellers safe this holiday season, the RCMP continue to recommend travel only as necessary.

Traveling in southern Alberta today? Know before you go.

Traveling in southern Alberta today? Know before you go and check https://t.co/0yIT7K6jY3 for our new weather radar layer to see what to expect on your commute. #ABRoads #ABParks pic.twitter.com/na9RpChriT

— 511 Alberta (@511Alberta) December 18, 2017

How windy was it?

Kennedy Blakey photo

C. Davis - It was so windy I gave up trying to take a good picture of how windy it was. Southwestern Alberta communities are used to high winds. They're a fact of life here, and the average citizen doesn't blink at winds that provoke states of emergency elsewhere. Having said that, yesterday's wind event was memorable for its intensity. Castle Mountain Resort's Jason Crawford told the Voice that a peak gust of 182 km/h was recorded at 8:52 am yesterday at ridge top. TransAlta reported 140 km/h at Cowley Ridge, and that may not have been the peak activity. Those are not typos. Environment Canada warned of 120 km/h winds in the Crowsnest Pass and Cardston regions. The Pincher Creek Airport weather station reported 81 km/h gusting to as high as 107 km/h. At the Waterton Park gate it was 79 km/h gusting to 108 km/h. Residents said they believe the wind was more extreme than that in the Twin Butte area. The coulees on Highway 6 and Highway 3 are always treacherous in this kind of weather, but a longtime Twin Butte area resident tells us it was particularly bad at Yarrow Creek.

If you thought it was windy yesterday...

Click map for links to the most recent warnings for your specific area.

Wind warnings have been issued for most of southern Alberta.  The strongest winds will be near Pincher Creek with gusts up to 130 km/h.

Alerts for: Crowsnest Pass - Pincher Creek - Waterton Lakes Nat. Park:

Issued by Environment Canada at 9:22 pm MDT Monday 16 October 16, 2017

Wind warning in effect for:

• M.D. of Pincher Creek near Beauvais Lake Prov. Park, Cowley, Burmis, Maycroft. Pincher Creek, and Twin Butte
• M.D. of Ranchland
• Municipality of Crowsnest Pass including Coleman and Frank
• Piikani Reserve
• Waterton Lakes Nat. Park and Blood Res. 148A

Strong winds that may cause damage are expected or occurring.

An intense low is forecast to develop over western Alberta Tuesday tracking into Saskatchewan Tuesday night.

Winter driving conditions continue for Pincher Creek area roads

 511.alberta.ca highway cameras:

Highway 3 at Cowley this morning

Highway 3 east of Alberta BC. Border 

Highway 22 north of Highway 520

Poor driving conditions on Pincher Creek area highways

High winds, blowing snow, and patches of snow and ice are making Pincher Creek area highways treacherous today, Sunday, February 12. 2017, as seen in the video above of Highway 6 and Highway 3.  Drive with caution.

Correction 507 west of Pincher Creek towards Beavermines has ice covered areas

— Emergency Services (@DeputyChiefPCES) February 12, 2017

Wind speeds of 85 km/h have been detected on Hwy22 at the Lundbreck station. (5:23am) #ABRoads

— 511 Alberta (@511Alberta) February 12, 2017

Major winter storm hits Pincher Creek area

Snowfall aftermath in Cowley Feb. 7

Headlines:

• Pincher Creek Emergency Services responds to two collisions
• Weather event snowfall totals to February 6
• Section of Highway 3 closed for a day, travellers stranded in Crowsnest Pass
• A boon for Castle Mountain ski resort
• Snow removal ongoing

A winter snowfall event of epic proportions hit southern Alberta Saturday afternoon, February 4. Avalanche conditions were reported for some areas of Castle Mountain and avalanche conditions at Waterton Lakes National Park were reported to be extreme in alpine and treeline areas, and high below the treeline. Waterton reported snowfalls of 112cm-120cm. Pincher Creek Emergency Services responded to two collisions on Highway 3. Temperatures were in the mid to low -20s C during the weather event. Maintenance crews have several days of cleanup to accomplish. According to The Weather Network, the temperature in Pincher Creek at this time (Tuesday evening) is reported at -30 C, but temperatures are expected to continually rise over the next several days. Mainly sunny conditions projected for the next seven days, with the exception of Thursday, February 9, which is forecast to include snow and rain showers and a high of +4 C.

Poor highway conditions near Pincher Creek

High Chinook winds are creating hazardous driving conditions in the Pincher Creek area this evening, including blowing snow, drifting snow in some places, and low visibility on main highways and rural roads.  Drive with caution.

Winter driving conditions persist for much of Alberta

Winter driving conditions persist across much of #Alberta. Drive to the conditions & give snowplows #RoomToWork. (1:53pm) #ABRoads pic.twitter.com/U6FYDlCKSP

— 511 Alberta (@511Alberta) January 9, 2017

Hwy 3 at Cowley Jan. 9, 2017, 4:23 pm (511 Alberta image)

Click here for current Highway 3 conditions at Cowley.

Town of Pincher Creek plowing and winter maintenance schedule

Town of Pincher Creek - The Town of Pincher Creek has a priorities list for plowing and winter maintenance, below is a quick overview.  Snowfall plowing is initiated after an average depth of snowfall of 25 cm/9 inches or more, or where the snowfall significantly impedes traffic.

Another day of record high temperatures in Alberta

• Waterton Park gate - New record of 24.2, Old record of 24 set in 1992, Records started in 1967

Environment Canada
6:33 p.m. MDT Wednesday May 4, 2016

For one last day, the warm upper ridge brought above normal temperatures to the province. Record highs were reported for many locations across eastern Alberta. Tonight, a cold front will move across the province bringing an end to the unseasonably warm temperatures.  This summary may contain preliminary or unofficial information. Temperature values are given in degrees celsius.

More record high temperatures in Alberta, including Pincher Creek and Waterton

 

• Pincher Creek - New record of 25.8, Old record of 25.6 set in 1966, Records started in 1894 
• Waterton Park Gate - New record of 24.8, Old record of 23.3 set in 1998, Records started in 1967

Environment Canada, 8:40 pm MDT Tuesday May 3, 2016

A warm upper ridge has brought above normal temperatures to much of  the province early this week.  Record highs were reported for many locations today, with more records likely to fall on Wednesday. Temperatures will cool by Thursday evening as a cold front moves through the province.