Residents in Blackfalds, Alberta are getting a rare break from the winter cold as temperatures are forecast to reach about 10°C on February 4, 2026 — roughly 14 degrees warmer than the area’s usual seasonal high of −4°C.
Environment Canada bulletins for central Alberta attribute the rapid warming to a flow of warm, westerly air descending from the Rocky Mountains (a Chinook-like event). Such warm, dry föhn winds can rapidly reduce snowpack and create heavy slush as snow and ice melt.
The Town of Blackfalds Public Works is monitoring drainage infrastructure as the snowpack melts. The town’s public-works material stresses the importance of clear catch basins and functioning stormwater systems to help prevent localized pooling and flooding.
While temperatures are forecast to remain above freezing tonight (low around +1°C), Environment Canada projects colder air later in the period, with lows below zero by Thursday night. That timing raises the risk that melted runoff could refreeze as slippery black ice on roads and sidewalks.
Forecasters note the warmth is well above normal for early February and could challenge historical early-February highs for the region. Specific claims about breaking a particular daily record (and the precise record value and year) should be verified against Environment Canada’s almanac for the Red Deer/Blackfalds station before publication.
