Story written by Hannah Wurz.

As of December 21, the winter solstice has officially begun, and with that comes similar weather patterns.

Temperatures are dropping around west central Saskatchewan within the next couple of days. It is projected that Thursday will have a high of zero with a windchill in the afternoon of minus 25. Thursday night is predicted to experience a dramatic cool down with a high of minus 22.

Meteorologist Terri Lang explains how wind chill is calculated and how it will affect our weather forecasting within the next couple of days.

“The wind chill is not measured as an exact unit; it is just a measurement of how fast the heat leaves your body. The colder the temperature and the stronger the winds, the higher the windchill will be,” said Lang. “With the forecast tomorrow in the Kindersley area, you won’t be feeling much of a windchill until the temperature starts falling in the afternoon. We are expecting strong winds, so that is when the windchill will be a factor.”

Snow is expected December 22 and December 23 as we inch towards Christmas Day. It looks like it will be a White Christmas across Canada, with Vancouver seeing a White Christmas for the first time in a while.

“December 22 is showing a couple centimeters of precipitation. The next day is projected to have 2-5 centimeters. It isn’t lots of snow, but enough to be blown around by the strong winds coming in.”

The snow combined with chilly temperatures and strong winds may result in poor visibility and road conditions.

“Check the highway hotline before hitting the road. It may look okay when you peek out the window but conditions can be worse on the highways. Postpone your travel until conditions improve. If you do decide to head out, make sure you are prepared. Snow tires, an emergency kit, and warm clothing are all good things to have.”