Summer snowstorm strikes Alberta, confounds residents with unusual June snowfall, Canada

The western Canadian province of Alberta experienced a rare snowstorm on Monday, June 19, 2023. The surprise snowfall blanketed landscapes and left 60 people stranded on trails, lake areas, and roads within Jasper National Park.

Jasper National Park, nestled within the province, bore the brunt of the storm, with some areas of the park receiving 55 cm (22 inches) of snow and more than 100 mm (4 inches) of rain on Monday, according to park officials. The severe weather conditions left 60 visitors stranded on park trails, lake areas, and roads, necessitating their rescue. Images of a tour bus stuck in deep snow depict the challenging circumstances faced in the park.

The snowstorm also impacted the nearby city of Jasper, causing extensive tree and branch damage. City officials, including Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland, were taken aback by the unusual weather event. “I can’t remember seeing snow like this in June in my lifetime,” Mayor Ireland told CTV News Edmonton.

Although snowfall is a regular occurrence in the high mountains year-round, the recent snowstorm surprised residents by descending into the valley in the middle of summer, as reported by CBC. The unpredictability of mountain weather was reiterated by national park officials who stated, “We aren’t kidding when we say ‘mountain weather is unpredictable.'”

Sara Hoffman, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, explained the abnormal snowstorm as a result of a “low pressure system” combined with “a lot of cold air aloft flooding into the province.”

References:

¹ Snow in June? ‘Unusual’ scene shocks parts of Canada and strands 60 park visitors – Miami Herald – June 21, 2023

Featured image credit: Jasper National Part