How bad was that wind? 102 km/h in St. Albert, says meteorologist

Hundred kilometre winds and blinding snow blew through St. Albert and Sturgeon County this week, toppling trees and knocking out power to scores of area homes.

Environment Canada reported that a snow squall – a combination of heavy flurries, strong winds, and poor visibility – blasted through much of the Edmonton region at around 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 19.

Edmonton-based Environment Canada meteorologist Dan Kulak said the squall was caused by an intense, vigorous weather system that came in from the Pacific and zipped past this region in about 15 minutes.

"The winds didn't last too long."

Kulak said the winds clocked in at up to 102 km/h at the St. Albert Research Station north of St. Albert Tuesday night, with the Edmonton International Airport seeing the region's swiftest squalls at 107 km/h. The last time the Edmonton region saw a winter windstorm like this one was on Jan. 14, 2014, where record-setting blasts of 120 km/h buffeted the region.

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Some 16,000 homes in the FortisAlberta service area were without power at the peak of the storm at about 8:30 p.m., including large parts of Spruce Grove and Sherwood Park, Fortis spokesperson Alana Antonelli said in an email. Some 336 homes around Villeneuve also lost power Tuesday night. The power outage at 22 homes near Meadowview Drive and RR 261 continued until about noon Jan. 20 as crews had to fix a broken power pole.

In an email, City of St. Albert public works and transit manager Louise Stewart said crews cleared or attended to 10 trees damaged or toppled by the squall Tuesday night. Two trees had fallen across a road, and one took out a power line. Crews also cleared debris and sanded the now-icy streets.

Sturgeon County weathered the squall relatively unscathed, said county officials. Sturgeon County fire crews had to lift a tree off of a power line near Legal, while Town of Morinville crews had to straighten a downed fence near the Westwinds pump station. Morinville and St. Albert RCMP said they did not receive any calls about the storm.

Snow squalls were like thunderstorms in that they could roll in quickly, Kulak said. He advised residents to watch for severe weather warnings through Environment Canada's WeatherCAN app and to have a 72-hour emergency kit at home in case of power outages. For snow squalls, residents should secure any outdoor possessions, keep vehicles away from trees, and shelter indoors.