Weather Associated with Alberta Clippers

Alberta Clippers are usually weaker than most winter storms. These storms are quick moving(they can move as fast as 40 mph), so they usually do not remain over the same area long enough to dump large amounts of snow.

Also, the track of an average Alberta Clipper takes it southeast from the Canadian Rockies into the Dakotas and Minnesota and then eastward across the Great Lakes. On this track, a clipper stays hundreds of miles away from the mild water of the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico. ( The Weather Notebook) For this reason, Alberta Clippers tend to be moisture deprived. As a result, the snow that does fall is most often dry, fluffy, powdery snow, as opposed to heavy, wet snow. This also limits the amount of snow that you can get from these systems. You are more likely to witness a few inches of snow in association with an Alberta Clipper, rather than a major snow storm event.


Source: USA TODAY research by Chad Palmer, Graphic by Chuck Rose
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wclipper/wclipper.htm


Behind the fast moving Alberta Clipper you will often encounter a surge of frigid Arctic air. The figure above from USA Today illustrates this cold air moving down from Canada behind an Alberta Clipper. This rapid surge of Artic air can cause near-zero visibility in blowing and drifting snow, creating the illusion of blizzard conditions.

Although Alberta Clippers are not generally big snow producers, if the system can make it to the moisture rich Atlantic Ocean it can intensify into a stronger storm and batter the East coast with heavy snow.

Back to Alberta Clippers
Home