Blizzard warning for Dempster Highway until Monday night

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a blizzard warning for the Dempster Highway near the Richardson Mountains, with near-zero visibility expected in blowing snow from Saturday through Monday night.

The weather agency said road closures are possible. Easterly winds of 60 km/h gusting to 80 were forecast to increase to 80 km/h gusting to 110 on Saturday morning, and the combination of falling and wind-swept snow will produce blizzard conditions along the highway.

Environment Canada said a persistent ridge of high pressure over the Beaufort Sea and a low-pressure system over the Gulf of Alaska are creating a strong pressure gradient across the mountains. Winds are expected to ease through Sunday, then strengthen again on Monday, and the blizzard conditions will remain in place.

The Dempster Highway is the only year-round road link to Inuvik and the Mackenzie Delta, and it crosses the Richardson Mountains near the Yukon and Northwest Territories border. Travellers on the route are often hours from the nearest community, so conditions there can change quickly and leave drivers stranded.

Highway conditions and closures are posted by the Yukon government at 511.yukon.ca and by the Northwest Territories at dot511.gov.nt.ca. Anyone who must travel should check both sites before leaving and carry emergency supplies.

The warning is the latest in a run of early winter weather across the North. Earlier this month Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for Pangnirtung, and we explained how fast frostbite sets in when wind chill climbs.

Current alerts are on the Environment Canada website. Severe weather can be reported to [email protected] or on social media with #YTStorm.

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