Alberta Morning Forecast — October 9, 2026: Rain Turns to Snow as Weekend Cold Arrives
ALBERTA RADIO | Morning Forecast | Friday, October 9, 2026 | All temperatures in Celsius; times in MDT
Alberta is heading into a dramatic weather change for the Thanksgiving weekend. Northern communities face heavy rain, strong winds and a transition to snow, while southern Alberta gets one more mild, windy day before temperatures plunge.
Alberta Radio's ten-community morning forecast uses Environment and Climate Change Canada's 5:00 a.m. MDT outlooks for October 9. Today's temperatures and tonight's lows are forecast values, not live readings. Fort McMurray and Grande Prairie have falling daytime temperatures, so their afternoon values are shown explicitly.
Today's weather across ten Alberta communities
Community | Today / tonight | Friday conditions |
Edmonton | 11°C / 1°C | Showers; northeast gusts to 40 km/h |
Calgary | 19°C / 2°C | Mainly cloudy; 30% late shower chance |
Red Deer | 19°C / 1°C | Cloudy; showers develop this afternoon |
Leduc | 12°C / 1°C | Cloudy; afternoon showers; gusts to 40 |
Fort McMurray | 4°C, falling to 2°C / 0°C | Heavy rain at times; gusts to 70 |
Grande Prairie | 4°C, falling to 2°C / −1°C | Rain changes to wet snow this afternoon |
High River | 19°C / 3°C | Cloudy; 30% late shower chance |
Lethbridge | 22°C / 3°C | Mainly cloudy; southwest gusts to 70 |
Medicine Hat | 26°C / 5°C | Mainly cloudy; southwest gusts to 60 |
Brooks | 22°C / 3°C | Mainly cloudy; southwest gusts to 70 |
Snowfall warning: Grande Prairie and west-central Alberta
A yellow snowfall warning issued at 4:48 a.m. MDT covers the Grande Prairie area near Grande Prairie and Wembley. The regional warning describes highly variable totals of roughly 7–25 cm through today and Saturday. Lower terrain, including Grande Prairie, is expected toward the lower end; higher ground and northeast-facing slopes, including Highway 40 toward Hinton, may receive more.
That regional warning range should not be read as a 25 cm forecast for Grande Prairie itself. The local forecast calls for 5–10 cm tonight and another 2 cm Saturday. The warning identifies reduced visibility, difficult travel and possible local utility outages.
City-by-city: afternoon, tonight and the next change
Edmonton
Showers return this afternoon after a mainly cloudy break. Tonight brings 5–10 mm of rain before wet snow develops overnight. Saturday brings snow, with 2 cm forecast and temperatures near 1°C.
Calgary
West winds gust to 50 km/h today. Tonight winds turn north and gust to 60, with a 30% evening shower chance. Saturday stays near 1°C, followed by a 40% chance of flurries Saturday night.
Red Deer
North gusts reach 40 km/h today, strengthening to northwest gusts of 60 tonight. Saturday's wet snow changes to snow near noon, with temperatures near 1°C.
Leduc
Tonight brings 5–10 mm of rain before a change to wet snow overnight. Snow follows Saturday morning, with 2 cm forecast and temperatures near 1°C.
Fort McMurray
Today's rainfall forecast is 20–30 mm. Northeast winds strengthen this afternoon. Rain changes to wet snow near midnight, with another 5–10 mm of rain beforehand. Saturday brings 2–4 cm of snow.
Grande Prairie
Expect 15–25 mm of rain today and northeast gusts to 70 km/h. Tonight's snow may be heavy at times, with 5–10 cm forecast. Saturday adds 2 cm, temperatures near zero and a morning wind chill of −7.
High River
Southwest gusts reach 70 km/h this morning. Rain develops overnight after a shower chance, then changes to wet snow Saturday morning as temperatures stay near 3°C.
Lethbridge
Strong southwest winds persist into tonight before turning north near midnight. There is a 60% overnight shower chance. Saturday stays near 3°C, with rain or snow Saturday night.
Medicine Hat
The warmest forecast in our ten-community report comes with strong winds. Northwest gusts reach 50 km/h late tonight. Saturday temperatures remain near 6°C, with a 30% chance of showers.
Brooks
Tonight has a 30% shower chance as winds turn northwest, gusting to 50 km/h. Saturday stays near 4°C with gusts to 60 and a 30% shower chance. Rain showers or flurries are possible Saturday night.
Thanksgiving weekend: prepare for a colder trip
Environment Canada's Friday morning special weather statement says snow will spread across much of central and northern Alberta by the end of Saturday, with heavier amounts in west-central areas. The system shifts south Saturday night and affects areas south of Calgary Sunday. At this stage, Calgary and areas east of it are expected to see lighter snow, while southern foothills and locations south of Calgary may receive more.
This is a changing forecast, and snowfall amounts will depend on location and elevation. Today's 19–26°C forecasts in several southern communities give way to much colder Saturday conditions. Check your destination's forecast as well as conditions along the route.
Alberta Radio's morning travel check
Carry a rain layer for today and prepare for winter conditions if travelling north, west or through higher terrain. Strong gusts are forecast in several communities, so allow for crosswinds. Before leaving, consult Environment Canada's local alerts and 511 Alberta for road reports and cameras. This article is a morning snapshot and does not establish that any particular highway is closed.
Sources and live updates
Official city forecasts were checked for Friday, October 9. The table and city summaries use the 5:00 a.m. MDT forecasts. Alerts can change after this report is prepared.
Alberta Radio — your province, your communities, your morning forecast. www.albertaradio.ca
