Prairies: From winter coats to summer shorts and windstorm potential - The Weather Network

Strong winds will ease across Alberta tonight as a cold front pushes east across the Prairies, bringing gusty conditions to Saskatchewan and Manitoba on Thursday. Gusts will drop below 70 km/h in Edmonton after 9 p.m. and in Lloydminster after midnight. In Saskatchewan, winds will shift to the northwest tonight, with gusts reaching 60 km/h. Stronger gusts of up to 80 km/h are expected across southern Saskatchewan around midday Thursday. DON'T MISS: Winter snowfall across Canada may fall victim to El NiñoSouthern and central Manitoba will see northerly gusts of up to 70 km/h Thursday afternoon before winds ease overnight. The winds could push high-sided vehicles around and cause isolated power outages. Northern Alberta will see showers, with some snow possible over higher terrain, while a ridge of high pressure brings sunny skies and above-seasonal temperatures to parts of the Prairies. RELATED: 'Water and electricity do not mix.' Staying safe when storms knock out powerBe sure to check back for the latest weather updates across AlbertaWATCH: Could this be Canada’s warmest winter on record?

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The 20th annual Cape to Cabot road race is taking place tomorrow. The grueling 20 km trek sees participants running from one historic landmark to another: From Cape Spear to Cabot Tower on top of Signal Hill. The race starts at 8 a.m., and because of that there are a few related road closures in St. John’s. Between 7:45 and 11a.m. there will be numerous road closures along the route. A full list can be found online at VOCM dot com. Expect traffic impacts from 7:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. on routes including Blackhead Road, Southside Road, Water Street, Harbour Drive, Duckworth Street, Temperance Street and Signal Hill Road.

On Monday, Albertans vote on whether to stay in Canada or hold another binding referendum on quitting Canada. If the vote goes as polls suggest, a majority of Albertans will mark an X to stay in Confederation, and Premier Danielle Smith has said if that’s so, she expects everyone to accept it and move on. Leaders of the independence movement contest that. And political watchers are divided about whether separation — previously a fringe sentiment — will now be a prominent, permanent feature of Alberta’s political landscape, as in Quebec. Julian Castro-Rea, a political-science professor at the University of Alberta who studies the separation debates in Quebec and Alberta, believes as long as Alberta feels alienated from the Canadian capital — feeling that Ottawa benefits from Alberta’s resource economy without giving back — the movement will have fuel. “Even if the referendum is lost, the westernization will still be around, because it’s kind of a way which, traditionally, Albertans have related to the rest of Canada,” says Castro-Rea, who believes western alienation may remain indefinitely. Story continues below advertisement

It’s no secret the long-held Canadian consensus on immigration has fractured — pulled apart by a rapid increase in new arrivals post-pandemic and growing affordability challenges. Now, that fracture is starting to show up at the ballot box. The Parti Québécois won a minority mandate in Quebec on a platform that included promises of tighter immigration controls, which the party linked to protecting French culture and easing pressure on public services and housing. And when Albertans head to the polls Monday to vote on whether to hold a future referendum on separation from Canada, they’ll also be answering five separate questions on immigration being pushed by the government of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Those questions include:— Should the province should have more say over economic immigration?— Should provincially funded services should be restricted to citizens, permanent residents and those with “Alberta-approved” immigration status? Story continues below advertisement