Winter drags on as more snowfall warnings issued for Calgary, southwest Alberta

Temperatures were as high as8 C on Sunday, but seasoned Calgarians know this warm weather is just a short respite before the inevitable crush of yet another heavy snowfall.

Monday morning commuters will have to contend with a10 to 20 centimetre dump of heavy, wet snow, Environment Canada warned on Sunday afternoon, with snowfall beginning Sunday evening and tapering off Monday night.

There is also a chance of freezing rain ahead of the heavy snow in southern Alberta.The agency warned that rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult and reduce visibility.

The warning covers most of Alberta's foothills and the Rockies, including Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks, Banff, Kananaskis, Canmore, Crowsnest Pass and Rocky Mountain House.

The alert could be extended further north and to the east as the system develops, according to Environment Canada.

If the snow does sweep further east it could be bad news for those in the Taber and Vauxhall areas, which are under an emergency alert due to heavy overland flooding.

• Highways near Taber reopen but M.D. braces for flooding to get worse
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Officials from the M.D. of Taber said Sunday that the combination of warm weather and snow was only likely to worsen the situation over the next 48 hours.