Blizzards and ground blizzards
In southern Alberta you don’t need a snowstorm to get a blizzard. A strong wind over yesterday’s snow can turn a sunny highway into a white wall in minutes.
What makes it a blizzard?
A blizzard isn’t just a lot of snow. It’s about wind and visibility. In Alberta, conditions count as a blizzard when:
- falling or blowing snow is driven by winds of at least 40 km/h,
- visibility drops to 400 metres or less, and
- it’s expected to last 4 hours or longer.
Environment and Climate Change Canada issues a blizzard warning when those conditions are expected.
The ground blizzard
A ground blizzard happens when there’s no new snow falling at all. Strong wind picks up snow already lying on the ground and blasts it across the land. Overhead, the sky can be blue and sunny while, at eye level, you can’t see the end of your hood.
Wide-open fields, very little shelter and some of the strongest winds in the country make our area a classic place for ground blizzards. A dry, powdery snowfall followed by a windy day is the setup to watch for. Conditions can change from clear to whiteout and back again within a few kilometres, especially on open stretches of highway.
Staying safe
- Don’t drive in it. If a blizzard warning is out, stay put, and wait several hours after the storm ends before heading out.
- Check before you go: look at road reports on 511 Alberta, travel in daylight, and tell someone your route and when you expect to arrive.
- Carry a winter kit: warm clothing, blankets, food, water, a shovel and a phone charger. See our vehicle emergency kit guide.
- If you’re stranded: stay in your vehicle, call for help, and run the engine only now and then for heat. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow and open a window slightly on the side away from the wind.
- On the farm or acreage: people have been lost in whiteouts between the house and the barn. A guide rope strung between buildings can be a lifesaver.
Key terms
- Blizzard
- Wind of 40 km/h or more with falling or blowing snow, visibility of 400 m or less, for 4 hours or longer.
- Ground blizzard
- A blizzard made of snow blown off the ground, with no new snow falling.
- Whiteout
- When blowing snow makes the ground, horizon and sky blend into one white blur.
Learn more
- Blizzards, freezing rain, ice storms and extreme cold, Government of Alberta
- 511 Alberta road conditions
- Build a winter car kit for southern Alberta
Source: Government of Alberta (blizzard definition and safety advice).
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